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Respectfully Yours, 



Shannon, III— 1910. 






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Edw. yA. Stralib. |j 



#************# 



LIFE 

AND 

CIVIL WAR SERVICES 



OF 



Edward A. Straub 



of Co. B, ?th Pennsylvania 
Cavalry. 



Written by Himself 



1909: 

Press of J. H. Yewdale & Sons Co. 
Milwaukee, Wis. 






EDWARD ADLUM STRAUB 



TO HIS COMRADES IN ARMS, 
VOLUNTEERS AND REGULARS, 
OF THE GREAT CIVIL WAR, 



THIS VOLUME IS 

SINCERE! V AND AFFECTIONA TEL Y 

DEDICATED. 



M 



2*Pt 



7 



PREFACE. 



Before deciding to write up our local biography and 
personal Memoirs, we had fully intended to write the lives 
and public services of the War-Governors. But in glancing 
over the Muncy (Penn.) Luminary, we were surprised, and 
much regret to state, that we were informed by that paper, 
that only three surviving War-Governors were yet living, 
namely, Samuel J. Crawford of Topeka, Kansas, Gen. 
William Sprague of Rhode Island, and Frederick Holbrook 
of Vermont. 

We received letters from Governors Crawford and 
Holbrook of Brattleboro, Vermont, both of whom consented 
to the noble and patriotic project. The civilization of our 
day, the enlightenment of the age, and the duty that men 
of the present time owe to their ancestors, to themselves 
and to their posterity, demand that a record of their lives 
and deeds should be made. 

In biographical history is found a power to instruct man 
by precedent, to enliven the mental faculties, and to waft 
down the river of time a safe vessel in which the names and 
actions of the people who contributed to raise this country 
from its primitive state may be preserved. 

In this volume will be found a record of many whose 
lives are worthy the imitation of coming generations. It 
tells how that many in the pride and strength of young man- 
hood left the plow in the field, and the anvil in the black- 
smith shop, left our common schools and colleges, the law- 
yer's office and the counting-room, left every trade and 
profession, and at their country's call went forth bravely 
"to do or die," and how through their noble efforts the 
Union was restored, and peace once more reigned in the 
land. In the life of every man and of every woman is a 
lesson that should not be lost upon those who follow after. 

In the galaxy of our noble dead — Lincoln, Grant, Logan, 
Hancock, Ellsworth, Stanley, Thomas and Sheridan— none 
deserve more fame than our departed comrades, Generals 
James A. Garfield and William T. Sherman. Their memories 
will be enshrined in the hearts of half a million of comrades 
of the Grand Army of the Republic. 



CONTENTS. 



Page 
CHAPTER I— Ancestry— The Straub Family— The Adlum Fam- 
ily — The Rynearson Family 7 

CHAPTER II— The Civil War— Off to the Front— at Camp Cur- 
tin, Harrisburg 23 

CHAPTER III— 1864-1865— Crossing of the Black Warrior River 

— Great Battle at Selma 35 

CHAPTER IV— 1865— Defeat of General Forrest— Rush for 

Montgomery 40 

CHAPTER V — April, 1865 — Montgomery Surrenders — Capture 

of West Point, Columbus and Macon 46 

CHAPTER VI— May, 1865— Capture of Jeff Davis and Party— 

The Fourth of July at Eufaula 49 

CHAPTER VII— Discharged August 23d, 1865— Grand Recep- 
tion at Pittsburg 59 

CHAPTER VIII — Arrival at Harrisburg — Final Camp Life at 

Camp Curtin 63 

CHAPTER IX — Father Visits Illinois — Five Families Emigrate 66 

CHAPTER X — Settled on a Good Farm Purchased in Cherry 

Grove Township 70 

CHAPTER XI— Settled in Spring Valley, Carroll County, 1867- 

1868 — Visitors from Pennsylvania 72 

CHAPTER XII — An Excursion to Omaha and Kearney, April 
20th, 1872 — Tiller of the Soil— Book Agent and Railroad 
Boy 75 

CHAPTER XIII— At Home in Spring Valley, Carroll County, 
Illinois — A Martial Band Organized — Teacher of a Public 
School 81 

CHAPTER XIV— Illinois State Fair at Freeport, 1877-1878— 
Trip to Peoria and Knox Counties — Soldiers Reunion at 
Aurora, Illinois 87 



CONTENTS— Continued. 

Page 
CHAPTER XV — Prom the Farm to Lombard University, Gales- 
burg — Enumerator on Tenth U. S. Census — On the Jury. 95 

CHAPTER XVI— Tour of Missouri, Kansas and Iowa— 1887, 

Return to Illinois — 1888, Election of Harrison 107 

CHAPTER XVII — National Encampment at Milwaukee, Septem- 
ber, 1889 — General Sherman Visits Soldiers Home 118 

CHAPTER XVIII— Reunion of the 7th Pennsylvania Cavalry at 

Muncy, Pa. — The Hughsville Fair 128 

CHAPTER XIX — Return to Illinois via Buffalo and Niagara 

Falls — A Country Store Keeper 140 

CHAPTER XX— In the Harvest Fields of Iowa — County Fair 

at Alta 150 

CHAPTER XXI — Return to Illinois — Farmer and Country Mer- 
chant — At Illinois and Wisconsin State Fairs 159 

CHAPTER XXII — A Business Outing, June to September, 1900, 

to Stockton and Warren— Iowa State Encampment 170 

CHAPTER XXIII — Sons of Veterans Camp Organized at Shan- 
non — Women's Relief Corps — Roster of Ex-Soldiers 179 

CHAPTER XXIV — Family Record of Our Nearest Friends and 

Neighbors 185 

CHAPTER XXV— Roster of War Governors, both Union and 

Confederate who Served Between 1861 and 1865 189 

CHAPTER XXVI— Biography of Prominent Officers in the Civil 
War — Field and Staff Officers of 7th Pa. Cavalry, 1861- 
1865 195 

CHAPTER XXVII — President Lincoln's Address — Gallant 
Charge of First Minnesota at Gettysburg — Parson Brown- 
low's Daughter 208 

CHAPTER XXVIII— Lives of Noble, Self-Made Men— Nicholas 
Longworth — Col. Ingersoll's Oration — Brief History of 
Pennsylvania 214 

CHAPTER XXIX— Biography of "War Governors"— A. G. Curtin 

— J. A. Andrew — O. P. Morton — R. Yates — L. Stanford... 233 

CHAPTER XXX— Practice Makes Perfect— Benefits of Reading 237 

CHAPTER XXXI— Infidelity Rebuked— Important Testimony in 

Favor of the Bible 245 



Personal Memoirs of Edward A. Straub, 
commenced Jan. 24th, 1908. 



CHAPTER I. 



ANCESTRY. 

The Straub Family — The Adlum Family — The Rynearson 

Family. 

Tradition informs us that the ancestors of the Straub 
family emigrated from Saxony, Germany, over 200 years 
ago. My grandfather, the late Daniel Straub, had seven 
sons, and five daughters, whose names were respectively, 
Charles (the eldest), Samuel, Daniel, John, Henry, Jacob, 
George, Phoebe, Sophia, Betsy, Katie and Sarah. Betsy 
married Jacob Willow, Katy married John Krepps, Sarah 
married Jacob Woomer, Phoebe married John Snyder and 
Sophia married David Porry. Two sons only are known to 
be living, George Straub of Chadwick, Carroll Co., Illinois, 
and Dr. John Straub of Wilmington, Delaware. 

According to our father's account, our grandfather, the 
late Daniel Straub, was born in Bucks County, Penn., and 
was a direct descendant of the large and influential family 
who were first represented in America over 200 years ago. 
He married Miss Elizabeth Hahn, and they became the 
parents of fifteen children, eleven of whom, seven sons and 
five daughters, lived to mature years. The mother preceded 
her_husband to the silent land, and Daniel Straub departed 
this life in 1865, aged eighty-seven years. 



8 MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

My grandf ather, the late Edward Adlum, gives us author- 
ity to state, that his ancestors were of Irish descent, and 
emigrated to the United States many years ago from Ire- 
land. Grandfather Adlum departed this life in 1857, aged 
eighty-two years. 

The opinion prevails that the ancestors of the Adlum 
family settled first at Little York, York County, Perm., in 
which city mother's father was born and reared in the year 
1775. His brothers were Richard, the sailor, who was lost 
at sea, Thomas, Joseph and Major John Adlum, who was an 
officer in Washington's army during the Revolution. 
Grandpa told us that when he was a young boy, living at 
York City, Pennsylvania, he there saw General Washington 
with the American army. 

From 1818 to 1838. 

My father, the late Henry Hahn Straub, was born in 
Union Township, Union County, Pennsylvania, on March 
11th, 1818, where he received a careful home training and a 
common school education. He was a tiller of the soil and 
also learned the blacksmith trade during his younger years 
in Juniata County, Pa,, and later worked at his trade in 
Lycoming County. Father was married to Miss Elizabeth 
Adlum at Muncy, Pa., March 4th, 1841, on the day of the 
inauguration of William H. Harrison as President of the 
United States. He was conceded to be one of the best prac- 
tical blacksmiths in Lycoming County. 

After he removed to Pennsville, he joined a cavalry troop 
called the Muncy Dragoons, of which company he was 
elected Orderly Sergeant. He first belonged to the Demo- 
cratic party, but eventually he said the party left him, 
therefore he joined the other party, and became a staunch 
Republican, and in the principles of his party has reared 
his three sons who are also its earnest supporters. 

We think the first Republican paper he subscribed for 
was the Muncy (Pa.) Luminary, which saturated his boys 
with the principles of Republicanism and have, of course, 
voted that ticket ever since they became of age. George 
L. I. Painter, who was at one time Captain of the Muncy 
Cornet Band, was editor of the Luminary. The Luminary 
is now under the management and owned by his son, Thomas 



MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 9 

B. Painter, under whose control the paper has become one 
of the breeziest and newsiest organs in Pennsylvania. 

My mother, Mrs. Elizabeth Adlnm Straub, was born 
about two and a half miles north of Muncy, Lycoming 
County, Pa., January 28th, 1814. Her father, the late Ed- 
ward Adlum, was reared in Little York, York County, Pa., 
and inherited a handsome property. She had two brothers 
and three sisters, namely, John B. Richard, Catharine, Ellen 
and Rebecca, all of whom were born on the old homestead, 
between Pennsdale and Muncy. Aunt Katie became the 
wife of John Artley of Muncy Township, Aunt Ellen and 
Aunt Becky were unmarried. Uncle John married Hester 
Jane Russell of French Grove, Peoria County, 111. Mrs. 
Russell was formerly from Northumberland County, Pa. 
Uncle John died (I think) in 1888, and his wife departed 
this life in 1890. 

To Mr. and Mrs. Straub were born nine children, of 
whom four died in infancy. To Mr. and Mrs. Artley were 
born six children, whose names were Rebecca, Anna, Jane 
Amelia, Hannah Matilda and Joseph D, Artley. Joseph 
married Sarah Casper of Columbia County, Pa., Rebecca 
married Mr. Frank Arnold of Fairfield, Lycoming County, 
Pa. Mr. Arnold was a member of the 8th Pa. Cavalry dur- 
ing the Civil War. He was a brick-mason by trade and 
was conceded to be a good practical mechanic. Anna mar- 
ried Mr. Amos Clark of St. Joseph County, Michigan. Two 
children were born to them, namely, Ellis and Artley. Mrs. 
Clark was an expert housekeeper and one of the most sen- 
sible and exemplary ladies in her county. Mrs. Arnold was 
an expert dressmaker, kind, sociable and charitable. She 
died at Picture Rocks, Pa., in 1891. Miss Tillie was a teacher 
in the public schools of Muncy Township. 

Mr. John Adlum, a pioneer, who came to Muncy Valley 
about 1790, was one of the most active and distinguished 
of the early settlers. He was a soldier, a farmer, a land 
speculator, a commissioner, a judge and an orator. Major 
Adlum and Joseph Adlum, the latter of whom was a highly 
esteemed farmer, who lived for many years near Wolf Run, 
were both uncles of my mother's. When mother grew to 
womanhood, she received a careful domestic training in the 
rudiments of practical housekeeping from her mother Re- 
becca Adlum. One of her particular callings in the culinary 



io MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

art was drop-dumplings. Before she was of age she became 
an excellent baker, and occasionally she made us a batch of 
short-cake, and in the language of the old lady, "Say, Mis- 
ter, well now, -if they weren 't fine, made with fresh butter- 
milk and soda." 

When we enlisted for the war we had intended to return 
again before going to the front and bid our parents good- 
bye, but we suddenly formed the idea that we had better 
remain away, as it would be much harder to part from them 
before leaving the second time. Before our departure from 
Williamsport for Camp Curtin my father and brother Wil- 
son came to Williamsport to see us off and bid the party 
who were going to leave Friday evening good-bye. 

The names of the men who had been sworn into the ser- 
vice were: Edw. A. Straub, Pierson Baker, Benjamin F. 
Warner, Aaron H. Mallaby, Henry Schick, Nelson Shipman, 
Alfred Campbell. About one dozen men had been sworn in, 
but the names of the remaining five men I have forgotten. 
We all arrived at Harrisburg about 4 o'clock P. M., and 
were marched direct to Camp Curtin, to await further or- 
ders. 

Outline History of the Straub Family. 

Uncle George Straub was born in Union Township, 
Union .County, Pennsylvania, December 4th, 1820. His first 
wife was Mary Snyder. 

His second wife was Susanna Heiser, to whom he was 
married July 2d, 1848. She was born near Richfield, Snyder 
County, Pennsylvania, March 9th, 1827. To them were born 
thirteen children, seven sons and six daughters. Uncle 
George was employed on a saw mill in Nipenose Township, 
Clinton County, Pennsylvania, a number of years, before he 
removed with his family to Illinois. 

Aunt Susan was a very kind and sociable woman, a good 
neighbor, a kind mother, and much devoted to her family. 
She was also a devoted member of the Lutheran Church. 

William Straub, of Manchester, Delaware County, Iowa, 
was their first son. He married Miss Ellen Gramly of Clin- 
ton County, Pa. To Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Straub were born 
eight children, whose names were Edward, Bert, William, 
Henry, Agnus, Ellen, Cora, and Katie, who died in Ogle 



MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB u 

County, 111. Agnus was married to Charles Robinson, for- 
merly of Carroll County, 111. They now live in Delaware 
County, Iowa, Christian Straub, the second son of George 
Straub, Sr., was born in Snyder County, Pa., in 1852. He 
was fifteen years of age when his parents left Pennsylvania 
for Illinois. He married Miss Katie Dahler, who was born 
and raised near Chadwick, Illinois. The lady is a good, 
kind and sociable woman. They have two sons and two 
daughters, namely, Annie, Clara, William and Melvina. 
Annie is married to William Lewis, formerly of Kansas. 
They live in Chadwick, Carroll County, 111. Mr. Lewis' pa- 
rents reside in the same town. 

Prof. John Straub was boru in Sugar Valley, Clinton 
County, Pa,, December 14th, 1860. John was about seven 
years of age when his parents left Pennsylvania. He has 
been a tiller of the soil and worked at the carpenter trade 
for over twenty-five years. He owns a threshing machine 
and is a skillful engineer, and staunch Democrat, and thinks 
Col. Wm. J. Bryan would make a great President. John is 
also a good practical violinist and good musician. 

George P. Straub was born in Sugar Valley, Clinton 
County, Pennsylvania, February 20th, 1863. George and 
John farm the old homestead, one mile east of Chadwick, 
and are both good practical farmers. They handle a fine 
line of hogs, cattle and horses, and are surely up-to-date 
farmers. In an educational point of view George is well 
posted. 

Mrs. Barbara Moore, daughter of George Straub, Sr., was 
born in Sugar Valley, Clinton County, Pa., October 27th, 
1858. She was married to John Crockett Moore, May 25th, 
1879. They emigrated to Gove County, Kansas. Afterwards 
they lived in Oklahoma, Nebraska and Missouri and subse- 
quently removed to Illinois. To Mr. and Mrs. Moore were 
born six children, five boys and one daughter. Their names 
are Alva, Irvin, Guy, Bessie, Ray and Theodore. The first 
three sons are married ; Bessie, Ray and Theodore live with 
their mother at 117 Taylor Avenue, Freeport, 111. Mrs. 
Moore is one of our favorite cousins, kind and sociable, lib- 
eral and charitable, and a splendid housekeeper. June 28th r 
1906, Irvin married Miss Clara Hartleit, a native of Elk 
Grove, Wisconsin. They now reside at No. 107 Chestnut 
Street, Freeport, 111. 



12 MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

Daniel Straub, son of George Straub, Sr., was born in 
Snyder County, Pa., July 14th, 1856. He emigrated from 
Illinois to Clay County, Nebraska,, in March 1880. He has 
been a tiller of the soil in his adopted state ever since he 
left Illinois. Before his arrival in Nebraska he first pur- 
chased a home in Clay County containing eighty acres. We 
have been informed that he has since sold his farm and 
moved to Kimball County, Nebraska. Daniel is a thriving 
and industrious farmer, a good citizen, a practical musician, 
and a staunch Democrat. 

Mr. Harrison Straub, Daniel's brother, was born in Sugar 
Valley, Clinton County, Pa,, June 13th, 1866. He is a 
thrifty, industrious farmer, and regrets and dislikes (just 
like some other farmers) a snow storm in the spring, when 
he is anxious to get to work. He likes the violin, grapho- 
phone and the girls. 

Clara Straub was born in Georgetown, Carroll County, 
III., and died June 22d, 1879, aged nine years, eight months 
and fifteen days. A short time before she expired, she 
pointed to the heavenly mansions and notified her friends 
and parents that she was going home. 

Jacob Straub, a brother of George Straub 's, was born in 
Snyder County, Pa. He and his family emigrated to Car- 
roll County, Illinois, in 1854. He married Miss Hannah 
Gordon of Pennsylvania.. To Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Straub 
were born four daughters and one son, whose names were 
Lucinda, Harriet, Joanna, Sarah and Wilson Gordon Straub. 
They emigrated from Pennsylvania to Carroll County in 
1854 and bought a farm three miles west of Shannon, in 
Cherry Grove Township. 

Brief Biography of the Late Jacob Straub and Family. 

Jacob Straub was a good farmer, a patriotic citizen and 
a staunch Republican, and a better neighbor never lived. 
He died at Manson, Iowa, at the advanced age of 81 years. 
The remains were brought to Shannon and interred in the 
Brethren Cemetery. He was a pious and devoted member of 
the United Brethren Church. The funeral was held in the 
M. E. Church, the services being conducted by Rev. Delos 



MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 13 

Tompkins of the First M. E. Church of Freeport, who 
preached a beautiful and impressive sermon from the Second 
Book of Timothy, fourth chapter, seventh and eighth verses. 
I have fought a good fight ; I have finished my course ; I have 
kept the faith. 

Mrs. Harriet S. Atkins was born in Juniata County, Pa., 
January 3d, 1834. In 1854 she came with her parents, 
brother and sisters, and settled in Green County, Wisconsin. 
She was married January 5th, 1860, to John C. Atkins, who 
was a native of Chemung County, New York. To Mr. and 
Mrs. Atkins was born one son, John Pitney Atkins, of Free- 
port. Her husband enlisted in Co. F, 92d Volunteer Infantry 
during the Civil War. He died at Shannon, Illinois, Decem- 
ber 11th, 1871. Mrs. Atkins, who is a first cousin of the 
writer's, still resides in Shannon. She owns a fine home in 
the town, and is an expert in housekeeping. She received a 
good practical education in the common schools of Wisconsin 
and is also familiar with the rudiments of musical notation. 
Her husband, the late J. C. Atkins, who was a member of 
the gallant 92d Illinois Mounted Infantry, which regiment 
belonged to Wilder 's famous brigade of Kilpatrick's cavalry. 
Mr. Atkins was very unfortunate in the service for his 
country, having suffered from sunstroke for a number of 
years. 

In the spring of 1904 Mr. and Mrs. Kramer removed 
from the late Jefferson Barne's farm in Florence Township, 
Stephenson County, Illinois, to Hancock County, Iowa, in 
which county they rented a farm of 160 acres, about seven 
miles southeast of Britt, Hancock Co., Iowa, Mr. Kramer 
settled in a fine agricultural region, the county was highly 
productive, and in that section of country he was blessed 
with excellent crops of potatoes, hay, oats and corn. Of 
course the country was new and presented a wild appear- 
ance in contrast with Illinois, The country bordering the 
creeks and rivers is mostly very level, while the surface 
called the table lands is undulating and moderately rolling. 
Miss Mary, Artie, Gertie and the boys, Oliver and Sheridan, 
also came with their parents to the Hawkeye State. Calvin 
F. Kramer, their oldest son, remained in Illinois and learned 
the carpenter trade with Mr. Frank Stevens. He subse- 
quently married Miss Alice Adair of Lanark, HI., December 
3d, 1903. She was the daughter of Mrs. Susan and Archie 



14 MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

Adair, formerly of Westmoreland County, Pa. They have 
one daughter, Anna Lucile, and live in Shannon, Carroll 
County, Illinois. 

Miss Gertie A. Kramer died near Garner, Iowa., Decem- 
ber 19th, 1901. She attended the Female Seminary at Nora 
Springs, Iowa. She studied shorthand and typewriting, was 
a fine penman, a good practical scholar, and her numerous 
friends in Iowa and Illinois sorrowfully regretted her sud- 
den demise. Her father, Mr. Benjamin F. Kramer, who en- 
listed in Co. B, 26th Illinois Infantry during the Civil War, 
died near Garner, Iowa, December 31st, 1901, aged 58 years. 

Lucinda Straub, daughter of Jacob Straub, and Hannah, 
his wife, was born in Juniata County, Pa., on the 11th day 
of November, A. D. 1835. She married John Q. A. Clark, 
of Wisconsin. Mrs. and Mr. Clark reside in Savanna, 111. 
They have living three daughters and two sons, Thomas, 
Charles, Malissa, Carrie and Delia. Thomas is married and 
by occupation is a farmer and tiller of the soil. Malissa 
married Mr. Enoch Shore of Carroll County, who is said to 
be a very good and industrious young man. They live in 
the city of Savanna, Illinois. 

Mrs. Lucinda Clark, who is a first cousin of the author's, 
is a very kind, sociable and exemplary lady. She has a 
large circle of kind and intimate friends in both Iowa and 
Illinois, all of whom are always welcome visitors. 

Miss Joanna Straub is a native of Juniata County, Pa., 
and was born on the 3d day of January, A. D. 1839. Jan- 
uary 2d, 1866, she married Benjamin F. Kramer, who was 
born near Belleview, Erie County, Ohio, in 1843. To Mr. and 
Mrs. B. F. Kramer were born eight children, five daughters 
and three sons, who were named Mary Etta, Calvin Frank- 
lin, Artie Ellenor, Gertrude Almira, Jessie Olive, Nellie May, 
Sheridan Howard and Oliver Sherman Kramer. Miss Gertie 
departed this life at Garner, Iowa, Nellie May died in 
Cherry Grove Township, Carroll County, 111. Sheridan and 
Oliver were both born in Cherry Grove Township, Carroll 
County, Illinois. In their native county they were formerly 
tillers of the soil. Some ten years ago they were employed 
in the State of Minnesota, selling medicines for the Raleigh 
Medical Company of Freeport, Illinois. 



MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 15 

Brief Record of the Late Charles Straub and Family. 

Charles Straub was born in Union County, Pa., May 16th, 
1805. He departed this life in Cogan House Township, Ly- 
coming County, Pa,, January 25th, 1888, aged 82 years. 
Uncle Charles' first wife was Miss Betsy Hart. His second 
wife was Miss Betsy Baker. To Mrs. and Mr. Charles 
Straub were born seven children, three sons and four 
daughters. Their names were William, Daniel, Charles, 
Sarah, Catharine, Hester and Lizzie. William by occupation 
was a farmer and lumberman, and was born in C'ogan 
Valley, Lycoming County, Pa. He married Miss Anna 
McKern of Northumberland County, Pa. No children. Her 
husband died in the C'ogan Valley over twenty years ago. 
Daniel (I think) was also born in the C'ogan Valley. He 
married Miss Martha Hurst of the same place. They have 
three children, namely, William, Andrew J. and Lizzie. 
When last heard from they all lived in Philadelphia,, Pa. 
Lizzie and William are married, but whom they married we 
are unable to say. Daniel's lady died in Philadelphia over 
ten years ago. She was an English lady, had a large circle 
of kind friends, was highly respected, and was a kind 
mother and much devoted to her family. Charles Straub 
was also born in the Cogan Valley, Lycoming County, Pa., 
in 1834. Charles by occupation was a blacksmith by trade. 
He about learned the trade with my father, when I was 
some ten years of age. After he returned to the Cogan 
Valley again, he formed the acquaintance of Miss Mary 
Sechrist of Jackson Township, Lycoming County, Pa., in 
which township and county (Lycoming) she was born and 
reared, June 11th, 1843. They both live in the city of Wil- 
liamsport, Pa. 

Record of Charles Straub's Family Births. 

Uncle Charles Straub was born May 16th, 1805. Eliza- 
beth B. Straub (first wife) was born July 16th, 1800. Re- 
becca H. Straub (second wife) was born April 9th, 1803. 
Sarah Straub was born July 28th, 1827. William Straub 
was born April 19th, 1830. Catharine Straub was born May 
2d, 1832. Charles B. Straub was born November 8th, 1834. 
Daniel Straub was born February 5th, 1836. Hester D. 



16 MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

Straub was born April 15th, 1838. Elizabeth F. Straub was 
born September 3d, 1840. 

Obituary Record. 

Charles Straub died Jan. 25th, 1888, aged 82 years. 
Elizabeth Baker Straub died December 13th, 1845, (first 
wife). Rebecca Hart Straub died July, 1883, (second wife). 

Birth Record of Mr. and Mrs. John Wood and Family. 

Elizabeth Straub Wood, wife of John Wood, born Sept. 
3d, 1840. John Wood, husband of Elizabeth, was born 
Sept. 6th, 1832. William J. Wood, son, was born; July 8th, 
1861. Helen Wood, daughter, was born March 19th, 1865. 
Norman Wood, son, was born December 18th, 1866. Sarah 

A. Wood Shadle was born February 18th, 1872. Laura 
Wood, daughter, was born June 10th, 1874. Mahlon F. 
Wood, son, was born September 21st, 1876. Charles B. 
Wood, son, was born March 30th, 1881. 

Birth Record of the Late Charles Straub and Family. 

Sarah Straub, who married John Harlan of Cogan Town- 
ship, Lycoming County, Pa., was born in the above township, 
July 28th, 1827. To Mr. and Mrs. Harlan were born three 
sons and one daughter, whose names were Elizabeth A. 
Harlan, J. M. Perry Harlan, Charles W. Harlan and Trewett 

B. Harlan. Miss E. Anna Harlan, who married Coleman 
Weigle, was born in the Cogan Valley, August 14th, 1846. 
Perry Harlan, who was born on the 23d of November, 1849, 
married Miss Amelia Leitzelman, October 12th, 1875 Trew- 
itt B. Harlan was born in the Cogan Vally, Aug. 29th, 1860. 
Charles W. Harlan was born the 8th day of July, 1858, and 
died the 6th day of January, 1859. Mr. John Harlan, who 
was born November 4th, 1820, departed this life November 
7th, 1876, aged 56 years. 

Mrs. Harlan was conceded to be a very kind and ami- 
able woman. She was the eldest of Uncle Charles' children. 
We received a letter some thirty days ago from Mrs. Charles 
B. Straub, informing us that our dear Cousin departed this 
life in the Cogan Valley, December 26th, 1901. They are 
gone, but will never be forgotten. 



MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 17 

Catharine Straub and Charles M. Quimby were married 
January 26, 1854. To Mrs. and Mr. Quimby were born four 
children, namely, John Akens Quimby, born December 8th, 
1855, died. Sarah Francis Quimby, born August 25th, 1856. 
Charles Straub Quimby, born April 26th, 1858 (died). 
Benjamin Evens Quimby, born September 30th, 1859 (died). 
John married Maggie McKean, Charles married Nettie Eng- 
land, Benjamin married Dora E. Baum^ardner, Sarah Fran- 
ces married Joseph Wood. 

To Mr. and Mrs. Charles Straub were born six children. 
Sarah Rebecca, Straub was born in Cogan Valley, Lycom- 
ing County, Pa., March 21st, 1861. She married Fred P. 
Heiner. 

Walter McClellan Straub was born May 9th, 1863, in 
the Cogan Valley, and died at Newberry, Lycoming County, 
Pa., January 17th, 1887. 

Althea Annetta Straub was born November 6th, 1865, in 
Cogan Valley, Lycoming Co., Pa. She married George Con- 
nor; died April 30th, 1899. 

Harriet Pearl Straub was born in Newberry, Lycoming 
County, Pa., August 15th, 1871. She .married Frank Hart- 
man. 

Miss Myrtle Clare Straub was born August 18th, 1878, 
in Newberry, Lycoming County, Pa., She was married to 
Mr. Everett J. Packer. 

Record of John Harlan and Family. 

Sarah Straub Harlan was born July 28th, 1827, died 
December 26th, 1901. John Harlan, husband, was born 
Nov. 4th, 1820, died Nov. 7th, 1876. Elizabeth A. Harlan 
(daughter) was born August 14th, 1846. John Perry M. 
Harlan (son) was born November 23d, 1849. Charles W. 
Harlan (son) was born July 8th, 1858, died Jan. 6th, 1859. 
Truett B. Harlan (son) was born August 29th, 1860. Perry 
Harlan and Miss Amelia Leitzelman were married Oct. 12th, 
1875. Elizabeth A. Harlan married Mr. Coleman Weigle 
of Cogan Valley. 

Record of Robert Wood and Family — Births. 

Hon. Robert Wood, Register and Recorder, born in Eng- 
land, Dec. 3d, 1832. Hester D. Straub (wife of Robert 



1 8 MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

Wood) was born April 15th, 1838. Charles H. Wood (son) 
was born April 10th, 1858. Mary Rebecca Wood (daughter) 
was born June 22d, 1859. Amelia Wood (daughter) was 
born October 16th, 1860. James Albert Wood (son) was 
born April 12th, 1862, Emily Hester Wood (daughter) was 
born November 29th, 1863. Robert Elmer Wood (son) was 
born July 30th, 1865. William Oliver Wood (son) was born 
January 21st, 1869. Joseph Breneman Wood (son) was born 
July 21st, 1871. George Leidy Wood (son) was born May 
19th, 1873. Annie Maud Wood (daughter) was born August 
27th, 1876. Sarah Myrtle Wood (daughter) was born Oct. 
26th, 1877. Clarence Edward Wood (son) was born Nov. 
7th, 1879. Olive Winifred Wood (daughter) was born Jan. 
7th, 1882. 

Prom tradition and information given us by our father, 
I was born in the city of Muncy, Pa., July 14, 1845. My 
eldest brother, P. W. Straub, was also born at that place. 
My sister Ellen A. Straub was born in Muncy, October 29, 
1847. My youngest brother John A. Straub, was born at 
Pennsdale, Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, February 12, 
1855. In his native state our father was married to Miss 
Elizabeth Adlum on March 4, 1841, the day of the inaugura- 
tion of Gen. Wm. H. Harrison as President, The young 
couple settled in Muncy, Pa., where my father followed the 
trade of blacksmithing for a period of seven years. He then 
removed three miles north to Pennsdale, rented a shop, and 
successfully carried on his trade. 

When my father and mother moved three miles north of 
Muncy to Pennsdale, I was about three years of age. 
Father rented a house and shop and immediately engaged in 
his trade, practical blacksmithing. He was one of the 
best horse-shoers in Lycoming County, a good practical 
workman and soon succeeded in working up an extensive 
business. In the course of time he was obliged to hire 
Charles Straub, Jr., a nephew, to assist him in his chosen 
trade, blacksmithing. 

When we were six years of age, we were sent to the 
Friend's Public School, which was located about one-half 
mile east of Pennsville, at the southwest corner of a beauti- 
ful belt of woods containing about thirty acres, which belt 
of timber and the property was owned by the venerable 
Charles Ellis of Philadelphia. 



MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 19 

Miss Jane Edwards, who taught the school, was our first 
teacher. The lady was a very good and practical instructor, 
and was a pious and devoted member of the Friends Church 
at Pennsville. Aunt Jane was of course very particular and 
painstaking to drill the young people in the rudiments of a 
common school education. We were all required to read 
passages from the New Testament before commencing our 
daily studies. 

Pennsville was at that time a small village numbering 
about one hundred people. It contained a cooper shop, one 
wagon and repair shop, one school, one cabinet shop, two 
general stores, one hotel, one tannery, a post-office, which 
was called Wolf Run, probably deriving its name from a 
small creek about two miles south of the village, named 
Wolf Run, which emptied into Muney Creek three miles 
southwest of town. The Muncy Creek railroad was surveyed 
through the village from Hall's Station on the Pennsylvania 
Canal to Longmont, Sullivan County. The post-office was 
located at John Neece's store in Pennsville, Mr. Neece being 
appointed Postmaster. 

We were required with my brother Wilson and sister 
Ellen to attend the Friend's School during the summer and 
winter terms for perhaps five or six years. If we remember 
correctly we did not commence all the common branches 
until we were ten or twelve years of age. We seemed to be 
the recipient of a natural talent for writing, reading and 
geography, in which latter branches we held our own with 
all the girls and boys in the school, and were frequently at 
the head of the class. 

Subsequently old Mother Time wended her way, and we 
were taken from the Friend's School and sent to the Penns- 
ville Common School, where we continued our schooling up 
to the outbreak of the great Civil War. 

After we were about ten years of age our father put into 
our hands a good sharp ax and we were told to keep plenty 
of good stove wood ahead, and were sent frequently to Mr. 
Neece's general store for groceries. Mother was a good 
cook and fine housekeeper and she often made us a number 
one short-cake. 

We soon arrived at the age of twelve years at which our 
mind was capable of manly improvement, and we soon real- 
ized that we were duty bound to make firood use of our time 



20 MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

and assist father in the blacksmith shop. New buggies, 
wagons, sleighs and bob sleds began to pile up in the shop. 
The owners of these were liable to drop in any minute to 
see if they were ironed off and ready to ship home. One 
day Mr. Samuel Rogers came into the shop and inquired 
whether his new wagon was ironed off and. finished up. 
Mr. Mowery told Dad he had better skip the shop for a 
few minutes as Mr. Rogers was after his wagon. He soon 
entered the shop and Mr. Mowery told him Straub was not 
at home — he went to Muncy. In a short time we began to 
take an interest in hunting and fishing. 

Throughout the Muncy valley, fishing and hunting were 
conceded to be very good. Artley's Run, Wolf Run, Muncy 
Creek, the Pennsylvania Canal and the west branch of the 
Susquehanna river were all stocked with a variety of differ- 
ent kinds of fish, big catfish and eels were in abundance. 
One day the thought struck us that we would take a fishing 
trip down Artley's Run. We started off about noon or after 
dinner. At the south end of Adlum's woods was the cross- 
ing of an old wagon road and about ten rods south was a 
good fishing hole and deep water. We cast our hook and 
line into the hole and in about half an hour something gave 
us an awful pull. We braced up and began to pull the other 
way. Soon we saw coming out of the water a big eel twist- 
ing and squirming, but we landed him — the first one we ever 
caught. 

Spelling schools, revivals and singing schools, seemed to 
be creating much interest with the young folks in both town 
and country. Whole sled loads with four horse teams came 
from ten to fifteen miles to attend the spelling schools and 
protracted meetings. Of course the meetings were highly 
interesting and productive of much good. Pennsville con- 
tained a few skillful vocal singers, but was without a drum 
corps or martial band, and we conceived the idea that it 
would be a good scheme to organize a martial band in the 
village. Accordingly we purchased a good fife and learned 
to play it in a short time. Pierson Ortt, one of the best 
looking young men in the village, bought a good snare drum 
and in a comparatively short time he became a good drum- 
mer. Mr. Ortt has been for the past ten years the leading 
drummer of the Kingston, HI., Cornet Band. 

About the middle of April, 1862, we were taken sick at 



MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 21 

Pennsville, and were attended by the late Dr. Wm. M. 
Rankin of Muncy, who was conceded to be one of the best 
and most skillful physicians in Lycoming County, under 
whose careful treatment we began to mend and recover rap- 
idly ; in the course of a few days we were feeling some better. 

A terrible battle had been fought between the Confed- 
erate and Union armies at Pittsburg Landing, Tennessee. 
We soon called for the New York Tribune, which was con- 
ceded to be the leading and most reliable paper in the 
country for correct war news, and from that time on we 
began to manifest an intense interest in the great civil war 
from start to finish. Sometime during April, 1862, we re- 
moved from Pennsdale onto a farm owned by Uncle John B. 
Adlum, about one mile south of Pennsville, which my brother 
Wilson and father farmed during the war. 

As soon as we began to recover from our sickness and 
get stronger, we sprung around and made ourselves useful 
assisting my brother on the farm, occasionally taking a fish- 
ing trip to Wolf Run and the Pennsylvania, Canal. 

A droving firm was organized in the county, composed of 
James Eckroyd of Muncy Township, Solomon Moyer and 
William Albright of Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania. Mr. 
E'ckroyd's business was to buy up cattle in the state of New 
York, and Mr. Albright, with the assistance of an experi- 
enced drover and good shepherd dog, were employed to 
drive, deliver and sell the stock out in the counties of Berks 
and Schuylkill, Pennsylvania. One day in the fall of the 
year 1863, Albright's drove came along on the Muncy road, 
and Mr. Albright needed another man to help drive the 
cattle to the lower counties. Mr. Albright said, ' ' Mr. Straub, 
we are in need of another man to help us ship this drove of 
cattle to the lower counties." "All right," I said; "I'm 
with you." The drove consisted of 147 head, one good 
shepherd dog, Charles G. Ortt, and one of the firm, Wm. 
Albright. Accordingly, about 8 o'clock A. M., we pulled 
away from Mr. Eckroyd 's farm, where the drove was pas- 
tured and rested over night. About 10 o'clock we passed 
through the city of Muncy, turned the drove onto the main 
Danville road, and proceeded on our journey, bound for 
Jerseytown, Columbia County. 

We reached the latter village about sundown, drove the 
stock into the pasture field for the night, put up at the 



22 MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

best hotel in town, and about 7 o'clock P. M., we were all 
called for supper. About 8 o'clock in the morning we 
started with our cattle for Fruitstown, Columbia County. 
We were at Bloomsburg, passed through Cattawissa, Ash- 
land, Schuylkill Haven, Orwigsburg and Pottsville, the pres- 
ent county town of Schuylkill County, Pa. Mr. Albright 
disposed of a big portion of the stock in Schuylkill Haven 
and Pottsville. Our last day's drive was from Orwigsburg 
to Mr. Moyer's farm, with whom we stopped over night. 
The drove was then shipped into Berks County, and soon 
sold out. Charles Ortt and myself returned home to Muncy, 
via the Philadelphia and Reading R. R. 

During our trips through the counties of Lycoming, Col- 
umbia and Schuylkill, we traversed some beautiful country. 
Bloomsburg, county seat of Columbia county, is a thriving 
and enterprising city, located on the north branch of the 
Susquehanna River. It is the seat of one of the Pennsyl- 
vania State Normal Schools, and contains about five thou- 
sand people. The city of Pottsville, the county seat of 
Schuylkill County, is finely located in the coal regions. It 
is a thriving and important place, a railroad center and 
contains about twenty thousand souls. 



CHAPTER II. 



1861-1865. The Civil War— Off to the Front —At Camp 
Cur tin, Harris burg. 

The Rebellion of 1861 stands out unique and extraor- 
dinary in all the features which compose it. It forms one of 
the most extraordinary chapters in human history that the 
pen of the historian was ever called upon to record. States 
having a common interest and origin, baptized in the same 
patriot's blood were arrayed against each other in deadly 
strife — families divided, parents against children and broth- 
ers against brothers— churches with a common faith and com- 
munion split asunder, and ministers and people who had 
wept at the same altar, suddenly began to pray each for the 
other's failure, and the happiest land the sun ever shone on 
became drenched in fraternal blood, and filled with sighs and 
lamentations, and future generations will inquire for what 
earthly reason. The southern people claimed that their 
rights had been trampled upon, that the North denied to 
them their States Eights privileges. But the fact is the 
North had granted them, prior to the war, all the favors and 
rights they ever asked for and acceded to everything they 
ever required. 

Alexander H. Stevens, the Little Giant, and one of the 
greatest sages and statesmen of the South, in an address in 
the state of Georgia, asked the southern people to state one 
single instance in which their rights had been assailed. Said 
Mr. Stevens, "I challenge an answer." His address was 



24 MEMOIRS OF EDWAI-IO A. STRAU3 

unanswerable. Mr. Stevens told his fellow citizens that their 
country, if they went to war, would be laid waste, destroyed 
and devastated. Subsequent events proved the truth of Mr. 
Stevens' predictions. The Southern states were exhausted 
and ravaged by the armies; the planters were all reduced 
to poverty. 

The 4th of March, 1861, came without violence, and 
Abraham Lincoln was inaugurated President of the United 
States. His message was everywhere read with the deepest 
anxiety. Its moderate tone satisfied reasonable men though 
many felt the want of any stirring appeal to the patriotism 
of the people. Still the closing paragraphs— * 'I am loth to 
close. We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be 
enemies. Though passion may have strained, it must not 
break our bonds of affection. The mystic chords of memory 
stretching from every battle-field and patriot's grave to 
every living heart and hearthstone all over this broad land 
will yet swell the chorus of the Union, when again touched, 
as surely they will be by the better angels of our nature, ' ■ — 
struck a chord of sympathy in every heart. Secretary 
Seward, as late as the latter part of December, had said 
that "in sixty days we should have a brighter and more 
cheerful atmosphere." The great minister and clergyman, 
Henry Ward Beecher, of Brooklyn, New York, when on a 
lecturing tour in England, called down the audience in reply 
to a remark of an English gentleman who told Mr. Beecher 
that the English folks had been informed that the North in- 
tended to conquer the South in sixty days, Mr Beecher re- 
marked that we were not fighting Englishmen, we were 
fighting Americans. 

At the outburst of the great Civil War, which burst upon 
the country in all its fury April 12th, 1861, we were but 
fifteen years of age. In response to a call from the Presi- 
dent, nearly a hundred thousand men enlisted in the north- 
ern states in three days. Enthusiastic meetings \vere held 
in every part of the north — the calls of the respective Gov- 
ernors for troops were responded to with an ardor that 
showed that five times seventy-five thousand men could be 
had. At Philadelphia, New York, Boston, Cincinnati, Pitts- 
burg and almost every other place, money was raised for the 
volunteers and their families. Leading men from every part 
of the country, Democrats, Republicans and Whigs, joined 



MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 25 

hearts and hands and from the uncounted thousands that 
were gathered, but one universal cry went up — ' ' Down with 
the rebellion." 

On the 17th of February, 1864, we went up to Pennsville, 
where we met Aaron H. Malaby, Pierson Baker and Benja- 
min P. Warner, who informed me that they intended to 
enlist for the war. They told me I had better go with them ; 
I said, "All right, I'm with you." The next morning we all 
started for Williamsport, and after our arrival there we went 
to the City Hotel, where we met Lieut. Heber S. Essington, 
of Company B, Seventh Pennsylvania Cavalry. Lieut, 
Essington was assigned to Williamsport for recruiting up 
his company and regiment. We all informed him that we 
had intended to enlist in the artillery service, but he advised 
us to join his company and regiment. After half an hour's 
pleasant chat, we told him to enroll our names for his com- 
pany and regiment. The next morning we were closely 
examined by a skillful army surgeon, and all passed the 
examination and no objections to our being enlisted were 
known to exist. On Friday, Feb. 19th, we were all sworn 
into the military service of the U. S. Army. In the evening 
we boarded a regular train (about one dozen men) for 
Camp Curtin, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The next morning 
(Feb. 20th) we were all halted at Sunberry, Pa, The boys 
all seemed to be in excellent spirits. We were all left to 
ourselves now, Lieut. Essington having left our train at 
Milton, Northumberland County. We were told in the) 
morning that a few of our company, I think Sergeant George 
C. Devers, and Lieut. Charles T. Trego, and others, were 
home on furlough from the front. Well, in the language of 
Uncle Joe Cannon, "boys are boys." We recollect well the 
boys had a good appetite about 9 o'clock A. M. for oysters, 
one dish after another disappeared in short order. The boys 
seemed to be flush with loose change and doubtless they 
reflected that no oysters and refreshments would be served 
at the front. 

Well, under the influence of cigars and good oyster soup, 
time passed swiftly away up to 12 o'clock noon. If we 
recollect, Lieut, Essington arrived shortly after noon, and 
we were all ordered to the Philadelphia and Erie station for 
shipment to Canm Curtin near Harrisburg. We all arrived 
at Camp Curtin about 4 o'clock P. M., sent to the barracks 



26 MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

and put under guard over Sunday, until Monday morning 
when we were marched into the city and transferred to 
another barracks. About 3 or 4 o'clock P. M. we were all 
ordered aboard a regular train (Feb. 22d) for shipment to 
Carlisle Barracks, over the Cumberland Valley railroad. 
After our arrival at the Government Barracks, we were as- 
signed camp quarters until further orders. We were all at 
the barracks near Carlisle for about seven weeks. The 
officers kept no track of us except to provide us with good 
substantial board and new uniforms. One day during the 
latter part of March a young soldier from Muncy consulted 
the officers and prevailed on them to send us off to our 
regiments. Accordingly the head officers took down all our 
names and began to make active preparations for our ship- 
ment to our respective regiments. Finally the entire com- 
mand at the Barracks were ordered to fall in ranks, every 
man's name and regiment called, and assigned to different 
squads for immediate shipment to their respective regiments. 
A number of squads were sent to the Army of the Potomac, 
and all recruits for the 7th Cavalry and the 9th Pennsylvania 
Cavalry were soon got ready to be forwarded to Gen. W. T. 
Sherman's army, then in camp near Columbia, Tennessee. 

About the first of April we were all sent back to Harris- 
burg to be shipped over the Pennsylvania railroad for Louis- 
ville, Kentucky. Those recruits whose regiments were in 
the Army of the Potomac were sent into Virginia. In a 
short time we were ordered on board a special train for 
Pittsburg, thence via Canton and Bellefontaine, Ohio, to 
Indianapolis, Indiana. We remained at the latter beautiful 
city until about 8 o'clock in the evening, when we 
boarded an extra train for Jeffersonville, Ind., and Louis- 
ville. On our arrival at Indianapolis we began to get lame 
and felt symptoms of inflammatory rheumatism. We were 
so helpless we had to be helped by our comrades on the 
steamer at Jeffersonville for transfer to Louisville. When 
we had crossed over the Ohio River to Louisville we were 
sent direct to barracks Number One on Main street. Here 
we were laid up a few days nearly prostrated with rheuma- 
tism. Comrades Warner and Baker insisted that they had 
better take me to one of the army physicians on Main street 
and they thought we should have to be sent to the hospital. 
Of course the doctor knew immediately what ailed us and 



MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 27 

ordered an ambulance to convey me to Clay General hospital, 
located on the south side of the city. Here we were treated 
and cured of the rheumatism, but were a very sick boy for 
some time, bedfast and prostrated. One poor comrade lay 
near me who told me he had been down with rheumatism for 
three months. He was from Washington County, Pennsyl- 
vania. I wrote a letter for him to his relatives in Pennsyl- 
vania. 

In the course of time when we were able to walk again 
we put on our uniform and were sent to the Louisville and 
Nashville depot to be sent to our regiment, which was then 
laying in camp near Columbia, Tennessee. As we were unfit 
for active duty for some time, during convalescence I was 
sent with other comrades to the Zollicoffer barracks near 
Nashville. Here we remained a. couple of weeks again and 
were then transferred to Camp Smith about two miles down 
the Cumberland River, southeast of Nashville. Here our 
parotid glands began to be very painful and soon informed 
me that I had contracted mumps. Ere long we were ordered 
into line again and sent to our regiment, which was in 
Sherman's Army near Columbia, Tennessee. On account of 
sickness and our weakened condition, Comrade Baker and 
our captain, Wm. C. Garrett, advised me that I had better 
remain together with other recruits in camp at Columbia. 

General Sherman's army soon began making active prep- 
arations for the great Atlanta campaign. A big military 
review was pending which the veterans' trained eyes soon 
convinced them always preceded a desperate campaign. 

In the course of a few weeks we were selected with a 
number of picked men, to be assigned with a mounted de- 
tachment near Columbia, Tenn. Our chief work was to scout 
the country in middle Tennessee, surprise, dispel and capture 
all the guerillas we could find. We were armed with the 
celebrated Spencer carbines and breech-loaders with which 
one of our men was equal to nine men of the enemy armed 
with Springfield muskets. The guerillas were privileged 
characters, acting independent of the Confederate armies, 
plundering and robbing the country. We were frequently 
routed out of bed at midnight, and marched from twenty to 
twenty-five miles after a gang in order to capture them be- 
fore daylight. 

Some time during September (1864) Forrest's cavalry, 



28 MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

composing about 500 of his command, suddenly appeared 
about two miles north on the Nashville turn-pike road. 
Their object doubtless was to attack our mounted detach- 
ment at Columbia, smash, crush and capture our entire 
command. The day before our fight with them, they had 
captured, our pickets and sent one of them (James Hoover 
of Co. H) back to our camp, bare-footed and bare-headed. 
After comrade Hoover had returned to camp, stripped of 
uniform except shirt and pants, he told us where we would 
find Forrest's raiders. Our commander, Capt. Wm. C. Gar- 
ret, immediately made a detail of about fifty mounted men. 
We started from camp soon after dinner. Forrest's men 
were found about two miles north. When we approached 
one-half mile from them we were ordered by our Commander 
to charge them, and when within twenty rods to give them 
a volley of Spencer's Specific for Confederate rash. We 
charged up a hill about a half mile long and before we 
reached the top the enemy poured into us a volley from their 
old Springfield muskets, but their old minnie balls hit no 
man. Onward we went (railroad time), over the hill, and 
soon captured a few prisoners. Forrest's men soon broke 
and stampeded over the fence and into the woods. We 
continued the charge for about two miles, but the most of 
the enemy made good their escape. 

In the course of a month or more a, charge was made on 
the village of Williamsport, Tenn., and the command cap- 
tured a young Lieutenant of Forrest's cavalry, who informed 
us that he was in the encounter with our command near 
Columbia; he said they were scared and thought we out- 
numbered them about two to one. After the charge we re- 
turned with our prisoners to Columbia. 

Our mounted detachment remained in camp near Colum- 
bia until November, 1864. General Thomas had been sent 
on from Atlanta to take charge of all the troops in the state, 
and those enroute to re-enforce the army. Gen. Wilson had 
been sent from the Army of the Potomac to take charge of 
his cavalry and he ordered him also to report to Nashville 
with all the dismounted detachments and collect, equip and 
organize all the cavalry in Tennessee and Kentucky and 
report to Gen. Thomas. 

A Confederate command under Forrest appeared before 
Columbia on the morning of the first of October, but did 



MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 29 

not make an attack. On the morning of the third he moved 
toward Mt. Pleasant. While these operations were going on 
every exertion was made by General Thomas to destroy the 
forces under Forrest before he could recross the Tennessee, 
but he was unable to prevent his escape to Corinth, Missis- 
sippi. 

These forces, I judged, would enable Gen. Thomas to 
defend the railroad from Chattanooga back, including Nash- 
ville and Decatur, and give him an army with which he 
could successfully cope with Hood, should the latter cross 
the Tennessee northward. General Sherman says, "By the 
first of November, Hood's army had moved from Gadsden, 
and made its appearance in the neighborhood of Decatur, 
where a feint was made; he then passed on to Tuscumbia 
and laid a pon-toon opposite Florence. I then began my 
preparations for the march through Georgia, having received 
the approval of the Commander-in-Chief for carrying into 
effect my plan, the details of which were explained to all 
my corps commanders and heads of staff departments, with 
strict orders for secrecy. I had also communicated full de- 
tails to General Thomas and had informed him I would not 
leave the neighborhood of Kingston until he felt perfectly 
confident that he was entirely prepared to cope with Hood, 
should he carry into- effect his threatened invasion of Ten- 
nessee and Kentucky.' ' 

He estimated Hood's command at 35,000 and 10,000 
cavalry. 

Of course intense interest now centered around Hood's 
army, which General Sherman had left behind him. When 
Hood found himself north of the Tennessee River, and 
Sherman back at Atlanta, his surprise was complete. He 
knew that it would be useless to turn back and attempt to 
overtake him, therefore he decided to advance north and 
attack Nashville. General Hood probably formed the idea 
that he would crush Pap Thomas, and then invade Kentucky 
and Ohio and eventually capture Cincinnati and Louisville. 

During the middle of November, 1864, we were ordered 
to break camp at Columbia, Tenn., and march direct to 
Nashville, at which city we turned our horses over to the 
Government. We were then ordered to board a steamer for 
Louisville, Ky., via the Cumberland and Ohio Rivers. On 



30 MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

our arrival at Louisville we were marched about two miles 
south, of the city and went into camp until further orders. 

At Louisville we were supplied with new guns, new uni- 
forms and new horses. We were required to do camp guard 
duty and keep our camp cleaned up and appear on inspection 
occasionally. Our band was required to keep up our spirits 
with patriotic music, and make their horses familiar with 
the drums. 

The boys of the second division left Louisville, Ky., on 
the morning of December 28th, at 7 A. M., in high spirits and 
bright anticipations of dealing the now tottering rebellion 
its finishing blows, and an early return to their longed-for 
homes and firesides. It was, to many, their third departure 
from the banks of the Ohio River southward, and all felt 
that when they next returned it would be in the complete 
fruition of their long cherished hopes of seeing the banner 
of the republic waving in triumph over a reunited nation, 
and in the lofty consciousness of having been a part of the 
grand band of citizen-soldiery who had triumphantly main- 
tained that nation's territorial integrity. 

All held their division commander, Brigadier General Eli 
Long, in high esteem, and felt the fullest confidence in his 
indomitable courage, energy, and well-known prudence. He 
had been associated with the men of both bridgades most 
intimately, during both the preceding campaigns, and, while 
the men of Minty's old brigade would have been much grati- 
fied had he been their division commander, yet, in their joy 
at retaining him at the head of their brigade, they forgot any 
chagrin they might have felt at the promotion of the com- 
mander of their rival. 

Glancing briefly at the condition and operations of the 
rebel forces in the field of the war, we notice the situation. 
After withdrawing from the line of Sherman's communica- 
tions, Hood, as ever was his habit, on failing in an under- 
taking of minor importance, to fly to another still more 
dangerous and hazardous, defeated at Alatona Pass, driven 
from Resaca and Dalton, had crossed the Tennessee at 
Florence and continued his raid to Nashville, which he was 
now approaching with an army of about 32,000 men of all 
arms, consisting of all the scattered detachments from the 
states of Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi, so poorly 



MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 31 

equipped as to be fitly described by a prominent rebel staff 
officer as tke " desperate adventure of desperate men." 

General Thomas had, in anticipation of a move of this 
,kind, been dispatched from Atlanta, to Nashville with the 
Army of the Cumberland, and was now gathering his forces 
to crush the raid. He, however, allowed Hood, after giving 
him a foretaste of what was in store at Franklin, to approach 
the city, and wishing to make the blow, when struck, as 
effective as possible, had directed the concentration of the 
cavalry at Nashville ; hence the means resorted to as related 
in a previous chapter, to procure a remount for the division. 

The division was in the saddle and on the move again at 
7 A. M., on the 29th, and marching two miles beyond Bards- 
town to the camp of the Third Ohio, which had remained at 
that place, went into camp for the night. The day was very 
cold and many of the officers and men preferred to march on 
foot leading their horses. Just before going into camp, when 
near Bardstown, Dr. J. L. Shirk, 7th Pennsylvania, surgeon 
of Minty's brigade, and Capt. Robert C. McCormick, of Co. 
G, 7th Pa., and Brigade Inspector, obtained permission of 
Col. Minty to go about a mile to the left and call on Mrs. 
Wm. B. Grigsby, who had been very kind in caring for the 
officers and men of the 7th Pa. while sick, during their first 
march through Kentucky in the winter of '61- '62. The two 
officers rode on accompanied by a single orderly. In about 
an hour, the orderly rode up just as we were going into 
camp and reported that McCormick and Shirk were killed, 
they having been attacked while in the home by guerillas. 
A squad of the 3d Ohio was immediately sent out, but failed 
to catch the murderers. It appears that Shirk and McCor- 
mick dismounted and entered the house, leaving their horses 
under the care of the orderly. After a short conversation, 
while they were sitting in the parlor and the young daughter 
of Mrs. Grigsby was playing on the piano, Magruder, Davis 
and Summerland, with about fifteen guerillas, surrounded 
and entered the house through the doors and windows, im- 
mediately commenced firing on them. Dr. Shirk told them 
while they were firing that he was a surgeon, and McCor- 
mick offered to surrender, and asked for quarter. It is also 
said that the young lady, then a child of about fourteen 
years of age rushed between the brute, Magruder, and one 
of the officers declaring that he should not be killed. The 



32 MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

brave little girl was struck by the cowardly brute with 
either his hand or pistol, and knocked to one side, and 
paying no attention to either the doctor's notice of his pro- 
fessional character or the repeated offers to surrender, much 
less to the prayers, screams, and frantic efforts Mrs. Grigsby 
made to save them, the whole band of murderers continued 
firing. Dr. Shirk was soon killed by a bullet through the 
head— he had previously received one through the body— 
when Mr. McCormick, seeing that his death was inevitable, 
obtained his pistol and defended himself to the last. He 
was shot twice through the body and once through the left 
arm; his pistol was shot from his hand while in the act of 
firing, the marks of bullets being on the pistol when it was 
found. 

The two bodies were brought to camp after dark and that 
night sent to Louisville and from thence to their homes in 
Pennsylvania. Thus were two of the brave men of the old 
Keystone State deliberately and in perfect cold-blooded 
fiendishness, murdered by the boasted "chivalry" of Ken- 
tucky for no offense save that of belonging to the army of 
the United States at a time when they were making a call 
in testimony of their gratitude for the kindness extended 
to them and their comrades by the noble lady at whose house 
they met their fate. The author was personally acquainted 
with Mr. Grigsby, his wife and his daughter, as also with a 
brother of Mrs. Grigsby, who was a prominent physician of 
Bardstown and bears testimony, from his personal knowledge 
and experience, that there never lived a nobler, more hu- 
mane, or loyal person than Mrs. Grigsby, and to the fact 
that she voluntarily made her house a hospital for the sick 
of the 7th Pennsylvania when in camp nearby in 1862. 

It will partially satisfy the reader's sense of justice to 
know that the self-styled Captain Brute Magruder was, on 
the 20th of October, 1865, hanged by the neck until he was 
dead, in public, in Louisville, Ky., for this and other murders. 
The fate of Davis and Summerland is not known. 

Without tracing the line of march in detail from Bards- 
town to Nashville, it being devoid of special note, aside from 
the unusual severities of cold, of rain and of mud, marching 
through New Haven, passing Daniel Boone's old farm, 
through Elizabethtown, Sonora and Munfordsville, then ford- 
ing Green River, and passing through Woodsomville, Cave 



MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 33 

City, Bowling Green and Mitchelville, the division arrived in 
Nashville, January 8th, 1865. 

Meanwhile the battle of Nashville had been fought, and 
Hood routed, his army torn to pieces, and the fragments, 
with nothing but a semblance of military organization, ex- 
cept Forest, with 5,000 cavalry, who covered the retreat 
of the demoralized mob, had fallen back across the Ten- 
nessee with less than 10,000 men of all arms. The 4,000 
or 5,000 infantry yet remaining either dispersed to their 
homes or joined Forrest as mounted infantry, and are hence- 
forth found mainly in his command. This short campaign of 
Hood was the most complete destruction of an entire army 
witnessed during the war. Hood found his last ditch at 
Nashville, December 15th and 16th, 1864. 

On the 12th of January, the division moved from Nash- 
ville, following the track of Hood 's retreat through Franklin, 
Spring Hill, and Columbia, where it halted from the 13th 
to the 18th, then moving on the 19th towards the south- 
west, reached Gravelly Springs, Alabama, on the evening of 
the 25th of January. Deciding to remain in camp until the 
weather settled sufficiently for active operations, quarters 
were constructed for the men and stables for the horses. 

On the 11th of February, 1865, the 1st Ohio was relieved 
from duty with the division, and ordered to report to Gen. 
Upton, commanding the Fourth Division, and Minty's bri- 
gade now consisted of the following : 7th Pennsylvania, Col. 
C. C. McCormick commanding; 4th Michigan, Lieut.-Col. 
Pritchard commanding; 3d Ohio, Lieut.-Col. H. W. How- 
land ; 4th Ohio, Lieut.-Col. Geo. W. Dable ; the brigade, field 
and staff being: Col. Robert H. G. Minty, commanding 
brigade; Maj. Robert Burns, Assistant Adj. -General; Maj. 
Chas. L. Greeno, 7th Pa., Inspector General; Capt. Geo. M. 
Landon, 4th Mich., Acting Commissary, and Capt. Geo. R. 
Stone, 4th Mich, Acting Assistant Quartermaster. 

For a time after arriving at Gravelly Springs the rations 
were short. The railroad south of Nashville had been 
pretty much destroyed, first by Forrest, and again by Hood, 
and the thirty days' rations of hard bread (hard-tack), and 
sixty days of coffee, sugar and salt, with which the command 
left Louisville, were soon exhausted and a half ration of 
parched corn substituted. With, however, the energy which 
characterized all the operations of the war after U. S. Grant 



34 MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

became General-in-Chief, the road was rapidly repaired, and 
by the middle of February supplies were not only plenty, but 
began to accumulate for the advance south. 



Daybreak. 

"From each southern vale and hamlet 

Tuneful murmurs gently roll, 
Then gushes forth in tender pathos 

The sweetest music of the soul; 
The hearts that beat 'neath dusky bosoms 

Thrill as the brightening morn they see, 
And sing, like sound of rippling waters, 

'De Lord hab made His people free/ 

"Thus the glad refrain shall ever onward 

Reverberate from sea to sea, 
And every nation, land and people 

Join the exultant jubilee, 
'Glory to God, for He is mighty, 

Peace and good-will to man shall be, 
And evermore, while time endureth, 

Our God shall keep His people free.' " 

— Anonymous. 

Gathered on the north bank of the Tennessee Rdver, at 
Gravelly Springs, Alabama, on the morning of March 12th, 
1865, was encamped 13,000 cavalry, fully mounted, armed 
and equipped ; the most powerful and efficient body of men 
ever marshalled around the cavalry standards on this con- 
tinent; together with an organized body of 2,000 dismounted 
cavalry from all the regiments of the corps. With this cav- 
alry corps was a park of some twenty nieces of artillery, a 
pontoon train of some fifty wagons and a train of one hun- 
dred and fifty wagons of ammunition and supplies, the whole 
under the command of Major-General James H. Wilson, a 
graduate of West Point, and a natural cavalry leader. Each 
man had five days ration in his haversack, and on his horse 
two days forage. With each regiment was transported on 
pack mules, ten days rations of hard bread and meat, and 
sixty days rations of coffee, sugar and salt. 



CHAPTER III. 



1864-1865 — Crossing of the Black Warrior River— Great 
Battle at Selma. 

On the 12th of March, the division under Brig.-Gen. Eli 
Long, broke camp and marched to Waterloo. Crossing the 
Tennessee River by steamboats, it marched to Eastport, 
Mississippi, where it halted until the 22d, when resuming its 
march southward, building roads over the swamps and cut- 
ting routes through the forests and over the mountains, 
finally reached and forded the Black Warrior River on the 
29th. In crossing the river the 4th Michigan lost one man 
and forty horses drowned. That night the march was re- 
sumed, and by morning the whole division had crossed the 
Locust River, fording it likewise. On the 31st the command 
crossed Shads Creek and the Catawba River; moving across 
the latter on the railroad bridge, after having taken up the 
track and making a narrow way by laying railroad ties 
crossways on the stringers, and encamped ten miles north 
of Monte Vallo. 

The celerity of the movement had prevented any material 
concentration of the rebel forces, and although Chalmers, 
with 6,400 ' ' effectives, ' ' was, as early as the 17th of March, 
in active operation on that front, Gen. Wilson, by moving 
in two columns, within easy supporting distance, covering 
the whole country with a cloud of skirmishers and foragers, 
and carefully keeping all means a profound secret, by 
which information of his definite line of march might reach 
the enemy, completely out-generaled him, and was able by 



36 MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

the 30th to interpose his army between the divisions of For- 
rest's corps, so that Chalmers was left on the right, For- 
rest's immediate command at the front, and Jackson, with 
Roddy and Adams, eastward at Monte Vallo. 

On the 30th, Gen. Upton's division moved rapidly east- 
ward and attacking Adams and Roddy at Monte Vallo, drove 
them from the town, although re-enforced by Crossland's 
brigade and animated by the personal presence of Forrest 
himself. In an engagement near "Six Mile Creek," Cross- 
land's rebel brigade was destroyed. Upton after destroying 
the works and extensive ordnance foundries at Monte Vallo, 
encamped that night at Randolph. 

Minty's brigade, in advance of the division, marched 
from the camp ten miles north of Monte Vallo, on the morn- 
ing of April 1st, and that night reached Plantersville, having 
eovered forty-five miles of difficult country. On nearing 
the town the advance was stubbornly resisted, but after 
over two hours of active fighting, the enemy was totally 
routed and driven from the field by the 3d and 4th Ohio, 
fighting dismounted. On the morning of April 2d, Minty 
took the advance of the division, marching at 6 o'clock, on 
the main road to Selma, the 3d Ohio, under Lieut.-Col. How- 
land being the advance regiment. Heavy skirmishing began 
soon after the column moved, but the Ohio boys crowded 
the enemy back at a good pace, without delaying the march 
of the column. On arriving at a cross-road about six miles 
from Selma, Minty turned to the right and moved over to 
the Summerville road, where, pressing rapidly forward, he 
arrived in front of the rebel works at 3 P. M. 

Selma was defended by works of the most elaborate and 
formidable character. In the immediate front for over four 
hundred yards, extended an abatis of timber, felled out- 
wards with each limb trimmed to a sharp point, rising to the 
height of about seven feet; then came a cleared space of 
about two hundred yards thickly strewn with chevaux-de- 
frise, interwoven with wire, and planted with torpedoes. 
Back of this was a palisade, about nine feet high, with a 
slight ditch in front, composed of logs set endwise, mortised 
into a log buried about two and a half feet under ground, 
the top of the palisades being fastened together by stringers 
and interwoven wires. On the inside of the palisades about 
two feet from the ground was a platform, on which the first 



MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 17 

line of forces were stationed. The whole palisade was fur- 
nished with loop-holes, properly constructed for command- 
ing the approaches. In the rear of the line of the palisades 
was a ditch, about five feet deep, and from the scarp of the 
ditch rose the line of the earthworks, to the height of from 
six to eight feet. At regular intervals along the intrench- 
ments and commanding every angle, strong star shaped 
forts, with heavy bomb-proof embrasures, were constructed, 
and mounted with from two to six heavy siege guns. The 
whole line of intrenchments was garnished with field and 
siege guns varying from the light six to the monster sixty- 
four pounder. These elaborate fortifications extended en- 
tirely around the city, except on the river front. 

Minty, having dismounted his command, except the 3d 
Ohio, sent it to the right and rear to cover the horses and 
pack-mules, now formed his men in line about half a mile 
from the rebel works, on the Summerville road. A strong 
skirmish line was pushed forward about two hundred yards 
and became immediately hotly engaged. The line was now 
advanced, forcing its way through the abatis, until the 
rebel first line was driven from the platform inside the pal- 
isade, into the main line of intrenchments, and our skirmish- 
ers commanded the palisades themselves, almost silencing the 
fire of the rebel skirmishers, yet occupying the platform. 
The Pioneers rushed forward under the cover of the skir- 
mish fire, and with their axes cut the palisades in several 
places, making sufficient breaches for the passage of assault- 
ing columns. This preliminary work all done under the 
heaviest fire the rebels could deliver, consumed about an 
hour of time. Gen. Long now went forward to Minty 's 
skirmish line (by this time holding the entire palisades), 
and Gen. Wilson also came forward, and aftar examining the 
ground for a few moments, ordered an assault. 

At this moment, while preparing for the assault, Gen. 
Long moved the first brigade to the right of Minty, when 
the rebels, seeing an opportunity, made a sortie on that part 
of the line, driving back the right of Minty 's skirmish line, 
and throwing the moving column of the first brigade into 
momentary confusion by attacking it in the flank. Com- 
bined with the rebel sortie came an attack on the Third 
Ohio, which, as before stated, was in the rear, guarding the 
horses. It was Chalmers, with a full division, trying to force 



38 MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

his way into the besieged city and join its defenders. The 
4th Michigan and the Chicago Board of Trade Battery were 
sent immediately to the support of the 3d Ohio. The object 
of the sortie was now apparent. Chalmers had been cut off 
by the rapid advance of Wilson, and they sought to open 
communication with him. The 1st Brigade quickly formed 
line and advancing, the rebels were again driven, with great 
slaughter, inside their works, the skirmish line reformed 
and, in the rear, Chalmers driven back with heavy punish- 
ment. These operations also consumed considerable time, 
and it was not until a few minutes before 5 P. M. that 
Minty ordered his two remaining regiments — the 4th Ohio 
and the 7th Pennsylvania, numbering in all thirty-three offi- 
cers and six hundred and seventy-one men, to advance to 
the assault, the 1st Brigade ( Wilder 's) moving at the same 
time, numbering eight hundred and forty-nine officers and 
men. Opposed to this little band and sheltered by their 
formidable intrenchments, stood the rebel line numbering in 
all nearly 8,000 men and extending over a mile on each 
flank. 

Now, reader, do not understand the author as asserting 
that six hundred and seventy-one men moved to the assault 
of 8,000 directly gathered in their front, but that the rebels 
were in that number, occupying an extensive line in the 
works before described. 

The men of Ohio and Pennsylvania rushed forward with 
great enthusiasm, in perfect line, until after passing the 
palisades the left struck a swamp in front of the intrench- 
ments, in which they sank knee deep. This checked them 
some and threw the right of the line considerably in ad- 
vance. The first brigade advanced in like manner at the 
same time, but its left also struck a swamp, and being re- 
tarded the movement took the appearance of an advance en 
echelon in each brigade. The rebels opened from all the 
artillery and small arms they could bring to bear on the 
assaulting columns, but as soon as our boys got the range 
of the works they poured such an accurate and continuous 
sheet of lead from their "seven shooters" over the parapet 
of the works and soon struck down so large a number that 
the few remaining rebels crouched down, appalled and para- 
lyzed with terror, behind their breast-works and their guns 
silenced. The heavy guns in the fort, both to the right and 



MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 39 

left of the portion of the works assaulted, however, still 
blazed away, pouring canister, apparently by the bushel 
into the Union ranks. On, on, rushed the assailants, into 
the ditch, up the steep sides of the earthworks, and gaining 
the crest, either leaped into the works, or halting at the top 
received the surrender of the enemy, crouching at their feet. 
Corpora] Booth (Co. A) of the 4th Ohio, was the first man 
inside the works. A stupor of fear and appalled astonish- 
ment at the fatality of the Union fire, held Wharton's di- 
vision in dismayed inactivity close under the shelter of the 
works at our feet, and remembering the horrors of Shelby- 
ville in 1863, the uninjured, with the slightly wounded, first 
by scores, then by hundreds, and in a few moments, by 
regiments, threw down their arms, and amid loud cries of: 
"We surrender!" "Don't fire any more!" "We are con- 
scripts!" "For God's sake, Yanks, don't butcher us all," 
etc., they surrendered where they lay, but few attempting 
to escape. A wild panic now spread from right to left 
along the enemies' whole line, and all not killed or captured, 
except those occupying the forts, throwing down their arms, 
rushed in a disordered mob of frightened fugitives, into the 
city. 

Uptons division now entered the works, mounted, 
charging into the midst of the throng, following and crowd- 
ing them into the city, and capturing them almost to a man, 
while Minty, wheeling his line to the left swept down the 
line of intrenchments in that direction, the forts along which 
were not abandoned, capturing the heavy bastions in suc- 
cession, until he reached the Plantersville road, five like 
pieces — one of them a thirty pounder Parrot gun— were 
taken. Besides, eleven pieces of field artillery were captured 
when the intrenchments were first stormed, and two full bat- 
teries taken during the sweep along the line of works. 



CHAPTER IV. 



1865 — Defeat of General Forrest — Rush for 
Montgomery. 

Thus was consummated, in the capture of Selma,* an 
achievement unexampled in the history of the war, and 
rarely excelled under adverse conditions on any field in the 
world. The two regiments which as organized bodies first 
entered the rebel works were the 4th Ohio and 123d Illinois, 
each holding the right of their respective brigades, to-wit: 
4th Ohio of Minty's, and the 123d Illinois of Wilder 's. Of 
the thirty-three officers and six hundred and seventy-one 
men of Minty's brigade, which made the assault, nine offi- 
cers and one hundred and fourteen men were killed and 
wounded. Lieut. Dable, commanding the 4th Ohio, was 
killed; Gen. Long, commanding the division, was danger- 
ously wounded; Col. Charles C. McCormick of the 7th Pa., 
shot through the leg and severely wounded, and scarcely 
a man of the 7th Pennsylvania or 4th Ohio but what was 
either wounded or received bullet holes through his clothing. 
More than two hundred carbines were struck by the enemy 's 
missiles and shattered to pieces in the hands of the men. 
The 7th Pa. lost twentyfive per cent, in killed and wounded 
of the officers and men, and the 4th Ohio a little over 
twenty-one per cent, of those engaged in the assault. After 
a short halt at the works on the Plantersville road, to let 
Upton's command go through, for Long's division had 
stormed the works and cleared the line from Summerville to 
the Plantersville road before Upton charged, all the com- 



MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 41 

maud not required for guarding the prisoners! advanced rap- 
idly into the city, where the battle was raging; frotii street 
to street. Major Greeno, 7th Pa., taking command of about 
fifty men, made the final attack on and captured the last 
defense of the rebels, a line of cotton-bale breast- works at 
the depot, after dark. While this terrific assault was being 
delivered and the enemy thus being routed and torn to atoms 
around and in the city, a terrible battle was raging in the 
rear, out along the Summerville and Plantersville roads. 
Chalmers, Gen. Forrest's best division commander, with a 
splendid division, numbering nearly 4,000 men, after having 
been cut off, as before noted, received during the day, an 
order from Forrest to hasten to Selma and cut his way, if 
necessary, into the city. He arrived at the outer line of the 
works at the moment the order for the assault was first 
given, and, although his horses were blown and his men 
wearied to the point of exhaustion by over fifty hours of in- 
cessant exertion, he hurled his command in repeated, contin- 
ued, determined assaults on the 4th Michigan, 3d Ohio and 
the battery guarding the rear. The narrow frontage of 
the line was however a circumstance in favor «.f the Union 
forces, and fully counteracted the numerical superiority of 
the rebel force. On this account Chalmers was not able to 
use more than two or three regiments at a time, and though 
he replaced his defeated front lines with fresh troops, he 
only succeeded in subjecting his whole command to a use- 
less and prolonged sacrifice. The consuming Spencers of 
the 3d Ohio and 4th Michigan, with the gastric discharges 
of canister hurled in double shotted charges from the four 
guns of the battery, mowed down his lines as fast as he 
pushed them to the assault and after night had settled on 
the scene, and the deep pall of silence closed around, an- 
nouncing the cessation of the conflict in, and consequent fall 
of the city, he abandoned the contest and leaving his dead 
and wounded, retreated rapidly from the field. The effect 
of this battle was so great on his men that from desertion 
and casualties of the engagement, he joined Forrest the 
next day with less than 1,000 men. 

The following brief account of the assault on Selma is 
given from the standpoint of the writer. Reid has given a 
brief but interesting account of this action in the following 
words : On arriving within six hundred yards of the works 



42 MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

the troops dismounted and formed a skirmish line. Wilder 's 
brigade occupied the right of the 4th Ohio. The entire 
charging force only amounted to fifteen hundred men, as 
one-fourth of the original number were holding the horses 
when the word "forward" was given. The rebels had al- 
ready opened with shell, and of course war is cruel and war 

is h , and when the attacking party appeared in full 

view it was met with a shower of grape and canister while 
small arms poured in their still more destructive fire. Five 
hundred yards of open ground was passed over before the 
works was reached. The men pulled up or pushed aside the 
palisades, jumped into the ditch and mounted the works. 
The enemy fled and our men pursued, crossing a swamp and 
capturing a two gun lunette. Pressing forward they ad- 
vanced across a cotton-field as level as a floor, and captured 
another lunette, mounting five guns. Here the line halted, 
all opposition having ceased. Fifty men of the 4th, killed 
and wounded, lay near the enemy's works, with scores of 
bleeding, dying heroes of other regiments. The dead were 
buried with military honors. The arsenal and navy yard 
were destroyed. 

The following special and honorable mention of officers 
and men is taken from Minty's official reports: "Both 
officer and soldier performed his duty so well and nobly 
that it is difficult for me to make special mention of any, 
but when one distinguishes himself above his fellows, he is 
justly to be regarded as the brave among the brave. The 
gallant Corporal Booth of the 4th Ohio, was the first man 
in the enemy's works, but he fell, in the moment of victory, 
a martyr to his country. Captains Moore and Richardson 
of the 4th Ohio were among the first to enter the works and 
acted throughout with conspicuous gallantry." 

"Maj. Charles L. Greeno, 7th Pa. Cavalry, acting As- 
sistant Inspector General, was among the first to enter the 
enemy's works. At about 7 o'clock, with about fifty men, 
he drove a considerable force of the enemy from, and took 
possession of the railroad buildings and the cotton-bale de- 
fenses surrounding them. Both these officers (Majors Burns 
and Greeno) have been under my immediate command for 
nearly three years and have universally performed their 
duty with energy and zeal, and have distinguished them- 
selves in battle on many occasions." 



MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 43 

Every officer of the 7th Pa, and 4th Ohio regiments was 
complimented by name and received a subsequent "brevet 
of rank" for distinguished services in the battle and capture 
of Selma, Alabama, April 2d, 1865. 

On the 7th of April, 1865, Maj. General Wilson issued a 
complimentary order to the second division in which he 
says: "Selma lay before you surrounded by two lines of 
intrenchments, the outer one continuous, flanked by impass- 
able swamps, covered by stockades, and defended by seven 
thousand troops commanded by Lieut.-Gen. Forrest. Like 
an avalanche the intrepid soldiers of the second division 
swept over the defenses on the Summerville road, while the 
fourth division carried those on the Plantersville road. The 
enemy, astonished and discouraged, broke from their strong 
works and Selma was fairly won. The enemy under Chal- 
mers, attempted to drive in the Second division picket lines 
during the battle, and go to the rescue of the rebel garrison, 
but their efforts were futile and they were compelled to 
retreat rapidly beyond the Catawba. Soldiers, you have 
been called upon to perform long marches and endure priva- 
tions, but your General relied upon you and believed in 
your capacity and courage to undergo every task imposed 
upon you, trusting in your valor, discipline, and armament 
he did not hesitate to attack intrenchments, believed by the 
rebel leaders to be impregnable and which might well have 
caused double your numbers of veteran infantry to hesitate. 
Your achievements will always be considered the most re- 
markable in the annals of cavalry." 

The following graphic description of the assault by 
Minty, and the scenes inside the rebel lines and city during 
the assault and capture are here inserted from Jordan and 
Pryor's "Campaigns of General Forrest." 

"As we have mentioned, the Confederate artillery was 
not provided with sufficient ammunition, and despite all 
the fire that opened on their adversaries, the advancing 
Federal lines moved up steadily and handsomely to their 
work. They were armed with Spencer's carbines and rifles 
(repeaters) and breech-loaders, and from their massive" 
(Oh, Lordy! thirty-three officers and six hundred and sev- 
enty-one men, remember,) "lines poured out an unceasing 
stream of leaden hail, to which the return fire of the Con- 
federate line was that of a skirmish to the uproar of a 



44 MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

battle at its climax. Meanwhile the militia began to falter 
and gradually quit their places behind the breastworks, 
leaving broad gaps, and Armstrong's right exposed. Roddy 
was ordered to move over to fill the breach, but before it 
could be effected, the enemy had reached the exposed de- 
serted section of the lines and mounted it, cutting Roddy 
and Armstrong asunder. Turning leftward, they opened an 
enfilading fire upon Armstrong. At this Armstrong was en- 
forced to withdraw his brigade, which, having to do under a 
heavy fire his loss was very great. In the meantime the 
militia had thrown away their arms, and were swiftly seek- 
ing their horses and divesting themselves while they fled 
of all that would betray their late connection with the de- 
fense of Selma. The scene generally was one of wild con- 
fusion. The Confederates, beaten from the breast-works, 
were rushing towards their horses. In the town, the streets 
were choked with horses, soldiers and citizens, hurrying 
wildly to and fro. Clouds of dust rose, and it was difficult 
to distinguish friend from foe. From the houses came the 
wails and lamentations of terrified women and children, 
about to be left to the tender mercies of a storming enemy. 

"The Federals still firing on their routed, fleeing adver- 
saries, further resistance on a field so utterlv lost, was 
worse than useless, but what avenue of escape was left open? 
For the broad Alabama River effectually closed the way in 
that quarter, as the enemy did, apparently, on all other 
sides. Forrest, assembling his staff and escort, sallied forth 
on the Montgomery road, on which, as yet, no hostile force 
barred his retreat." 

The colored folks informed us, after the battle, that For- 
rest was seen, together with his staff, flying down the Ala- 
bama River, and we were told that he barely escaped cap- 
ture by the 4th U. S. Regulars. 

After the battle of Selma we went into camp near the 
city, and remained there for about one week. The sorrow- 
ful duty now devolved on both the Union and Confederate 
forces to care for the gallant dead and wounded. The 
killed on both sides were decently and quietly laid to rest, 
some were interred in the battle-field, and a portion of the 
Union dead were laid at rest in the city cemeteries. An- 
thony Volkers of Co. B, 7th Fa. Cavalry, was killed; Cas- 
sius R. Sheplar of Co. B, was shot through the left shoulder. 



MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 45 

George J. Bird of the same Co., was also wounded. Ser- 
geant Charles Mullen of Co. M, died May 18th, 1865, of 
wounds received in action at Selma, Ala., April 2d, 1865. 
Lieut. Jacob Sigmund of Co. E, was killed while gallantly 
leading his company in the assault on the fortifications. 
Daniel C. Coverly of Co. A, wounded at Selma, April 2d, 
1865. The official list of casualties in the 7th Pa, are re- 
ported by Captain J. G. Vale of "Minty and the Cavalry," 
to be, two officers killed and four officers and forty-seven 
men wounded. 

The city of Selma, Alabama, is the county seat of Dallas 
County and is finely located on the Alabama River, at the 
intersection of five different railroads, and contained at the 
census of 1890, about 8,000 inhabitants. 

On April 10th we were ordered to break camp, and get 
ready to cross the Alabama River on the pontoon bridge 
over which the entire command crossed, our destination be- 
ing Montgomery (the State Capitol), and first city of the 
Confederacy. 



CHAPTER V. 



April, 1865 — Montgomery Surrenders — Capture of West 
Point, Columbus and Macon. 

A separate command was sent to attack and capture 
Tuscaloosa, which place was taken possession of by the 
cavalry, April 4th. The city of Montgomery was taken pos- 
session of by the Union forces under General Wilson on 
April 14th, the enemy having 1 abandoned it, From here a 
detached command marched directly on Columbus, and an- 
other on West Point, Georgia, both of which places were 
assaulted and captured on the 16th. At the former place 
we got fifteen hundred prisoners rnd fifty-two field guns, 
destroyed two gun-boats, the navy ^ards, foundries, arsenal, 
many factories, and a vast amount of other public property. 
At the latter place we got three hundred prisoners, four 
cannon and destroyed nineteen engines and four hundred 
cars. On the 20th we took possession of Macon, Georgia, 
with sixty field guns, after two days of hard fighting, and 
received the surrender of General Howell Cobb, with over 
9,000 troops and its entire garrisons and command complete. 

Before we reached Columbus, Georgia, the news was 
given us that Gen. Robert E. Lee had surrendered his entire 
army to General Grant at Appomatox, on April 9th. Of 
course this was the most glorious news we had received since 
we left Nashville. The boys began to yell and cheer, and 
were very hopeful that ere long we would be discharged 
and sent home. Some of our officers had formed the idea 



MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 47 

that in thirty days we would have met Sherman's army in 
North Carolina. 

After the fall of Macon, the command went into camp 
about two miles south of the city, and on the east side of 
the main traveled road the officers had selected a beautiful 
tract of woods, and well watered by fine running creeks 
near by, which afforded plenty of good water for our mules 
and horses. About one-half mile east was located the Macon 
City Fair Grounds. Our duties now, after we got settled, 
were to clean our horses twice a day and to police (clean) 
our camps. When the bugler sounded water call, every 
man mounted his horse bare-back and rode him to water at 
the creek. FVom the time the command 'left Eastport, 
Mississippi, it was a running fight and forced marches day 
and night, until we reached Macon. 

The boys having settled down in their new camps, they 
were noticed occasionally, in groups, talking over the priva- 
tions, hardships and exploits of the big cavalry raid of over 
seven hundred miles, which was undoubtedly the greatest in 
the annals of the great Civil War. Thomas E. Kean, of 
Co. B, 7th Pa., told the boys, one day, that one of the finest 
and most attractive sights he had ever seen during the war 
was the marching of our division through Montgomery, Ala- 
bama. We marched by fours, through the streets of Mont- 
gomery, and I must admit myself that it was one of the 
grandest cavalry displays I had ever seen. At the foot of 
the Main Street stood the capitol building, from the top of 
which floated Old Glory in triumphant splendor. 

Both men and officers of the command became more 
cheerful after the surrender of Lee and Johnston, and surely 
felt more happy when they thought of the kindly greeting 
they would meet with from their sisters, brothers, fathers 
and mothers, away off in the garden spot of Pennsylvania. 
The bands soon began to render some good music for the 
boys, playing, occasionally, the "Red, White and Blue," 
and "Perri Waltzes." Our band was instructed once in a 
while by Charles Waltz, formerly of the Fourth U. S. Reg- 
ulars. He had been the leader of the band in the Fourth 
Regulars and was subsequently promoted to Second Lieut- 
enant of Co. M, 7th Pa. Lieut. Waltz was a natural born 
musician. 

Well, time passed swiftly and imperceptibly away. 



48 MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

About the middle of April (or a few days after) the start- 
ling and awful news reached us that President Lincoln had 
been killed at Ford's Theatre, in Washington, on the evening 
of the 14th of April. 

One of our regiment received a copy of the New York 
Times, which confirmed the horrible intelligence, the col- 
umns of the paper were fringed with bold face lines in 
mourning for the great martyred President. Instantly pro- 
found silence and sorrow reigned in the camp for a few 
days. Soldiers were seized with vengeance ; at some cities in 
the North, a few traitors, who upheld the damnable, cow- 
ardly crime, were shot by them like dogs. 

With the capture of Macon, the fighting days of the bri- 
gade ended, but the fortunes of war had reserved for it to 
enact the last crowning deed, and perform for the nation 
the last grand service, by capturing the arch traitor, the 
chief of the original conspirators, the President and com- 
mander-in-chief of all the Armies and Navies of the so-called 
Confederate States of America. 



CHAPTER VI. 



May, 1865 — Capture of Jeff Davis and Party — The Fourth 
of July at Eufaula. 

The camp in which Davis and his party was found was 
in a thick pine forest, not far from a running brook ; it was 
a healthful retired place, and pleasantly situated. In it 
were three wall tents in line, parallel with the road; the 
space between the tents was occupied by the horses. Near 
by was a camp of the party with the wagons, ambulances, 
horses, and cavalry equipments. Opposite the tent occupied 
by Davis, was a fine horse, saddled and bridled, with hol- 
sters and a valise, held by a colored man. This was Davis' 
well trained and fleetest saddle horse, held in readiness at 
the time, and in all probability at all times, for the escape 
of the fugitive rebel. 

During the march to Macon, no incident of special mo- 
ment occurred, except that a request was made for Davis 
to be permitted to sleep in a house one night, which, evi- 
dently for the purpose of attempting an escape, was very 
promptly refused. No indignity was offered and he was but 
once spoken to by the men of the guard. The horse "ready 
held for flight" was captured by a soldier, who rode him 
into Macon. One day, this soldier, approaching Davis, said : 
"Mr. Davis, you won't need this horse any more, hadn't you 
better give him to me?" When Col. Johnson of Davis' 
staff, being near, in much passion, said: "How dare you 
insult the President in this manner ? " " President ! Hell ! ' ' 
said the soldier, with contempt; "What's he President of?" 



50 MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

On being informed that he could not keep the horse the 
soldier got permission to use him one night on picket. The 
picket was fired on that night and the horse killed. 

It would be a pleasure to the writer, as no doubt a satis- 
faction to the reader, to here insert the report of Colonel 
Pritchard in full (in regard to the capture of Jefferson 
Davis and party), but it is impossible in a brief work of 
this kind, to publish all the good things said, as it is on 
account of all the good things done, therefore, we content 
ourselves with the following extracts: 



Headquarters 4th Mich. Cavalry Detachment, 
Washington, D. C, May 25, 1865. 

Hon. E. M. Stanton, Secretary of War, 
Washington, D. C. 

Sir: I have the honor to report, that in obedience to 
orders received from General R. H. G. Minty, commanding 
division, I left Macon Georgia, at 8 P. M., on the 7th inst,, 
for the purpose of capturing Jeff Davis and party, who were 
reported to have left Washington, Georgia, on the morning 
of the 4th, traveling southward. After moving to within 
one and a half miles of their camp, I halted under cover of 
a slight eminence, dismounted twenty-five men, and sent 
them under command of Lieut. Purinton, to make the cir- 
cuit of the camp and gain a position in its rear and thus 
cut off all possibility of escape, and if an alarm was raised, 
I would immediately charge the camp. I had not decided, 
at this time, whether to move upon the camp at once or to 
wait until daylight, but upon further consideration, decided 
to delay it as it was now after 2 o'clock in the morning 
(of May 10th), the moon was getting low, and the shadows 
of the forest were falling heavily, rendering it easy for 
persons to escape undiscovered, to the woods and the 
swamps in the darkness. After awaiting an hour or more, 
and just as the earliest dawn appeared, I put the column 
in motion, and was enabled to approach within four or five 
rods of the camp undiscovered, when a dash was ordered, 
and in an instant the whole camp, with its inmates, was ours. 
A chain of mounted guards was immediately thrown around 



MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 51 

the camp and dismounted sentries placed at the tents and 
wagons. As soon as the firing* ceased, I returned to camp 
and took an inventory of our captures, when I ascertained 
that we had captured Jeff Davis, his wife and four children. 
Also John H. Reagan, his Postmaster General; Colonels 
Johnson and Lubbock, aide-de-camp to Davis; Burton W. 
Harrison, his private secretary; Major Maurand, Captain 
Moody, Lieut. Hathaway, Jeff D. Howell (midshipman in 
the rebel navy) , and thirteen private soldiers. Upon return- 
ing to camp I was accosted by Davis, from among the pris- 
oners, who asked if I was the officer in command. Upon 
answering him that I was, and asking whom I was to call 
him, he replied that I might call him "what or whoever I 
pleased;" when I replied that I would call him Mr. Davis, 
and, after a moment's hesitation, he said that was his name. 
He suddenly drew himself up in true royal dignity and ex- 
claimed, "I suppose that you consider it bravery to charge 
a train of defenseless women and children, but it is theft — 
it is vandalism." Retaining my independent command, I 
continued my march to Macon, where I arrived at 3 P. M., 
on the 13th. While yet on the march and nine miles out of 
town, I received orders, by courier, to provide myself with 
a special detail of three officers and twenty men from my 
regiment and prepare to depart at once for Washington, as 
special escort for Davis and party. I left Macon, by special 
train, at 7 o'clock on the evening of the 13th. Arriving at 
Atlanta at daylight on the 14th, I found a train and guard 
ready to convey the party to Augusta, where we arrived at 
sunset the same day, finding carriages and everything ready 
to convey us to the steamer Standish, lying four miles be- 
low the city. We arrived on board at 8 o'clock, when I 
received Alexander H. Stephens and Major General Wheeler 
and staff, and immediately sailed for Savannah, where we 
arrived at 10 o'clock on the 16th. Reported to General 
Burge, and at 4 o'clock A. M. the steamer Emile was or- 
dered alongside and the prisoners and guard were trans- 
ferred on board, when she immediately steamed for Hilton 
Head. When opposite Fort Jackson, we met the steamer 
Colt, with General Gilmore on board, to whom I reported, 
and when we reached Savannah, he telegraphed to Hilton 
Head for the steamer Clyde to be got in readiness at once 
to receive the prisoners and convey them to Washington. 



52 MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

Upon our arrival we found all things in readiness and the 
transfer from the Emile to the Clyde took place immediately 
and at 3 P. M. of the 16th we put to sea, under convoy of the 
steam sloop-of-war, Tuscarora. Arriving at Portress Monroe 
at noon, on the 19th, I immediately proceeded to shore, and 
telegraphed my arrival to the Adjutant General, and re- 
ceived orders in reply to anchor out, and await further 
orders. On the afternoon of the 22d, the prisoners, Davis 
and Clay, were transferred, under orders, to the casemates 
of Fortress Monroe, and turned over to Major General Miles, 
the Fourth Michigan Cavalry acting as special escort, after 
which it was temporarily assigned quarters within the fort. 
On the afternoon of the 23d I received orders from the 
War Department, through General Miles, directing me to 
procure the disguise worn by Davis at the time of his cap- 
ture, and to proceed to Washington, and report to the Sec- 
retary of War. Accordingly, I went over to the steamer 
Clyde, and received from Mrs. Davis, a lady's water-proof 
cloak, or robe, which Mrs. Davis said was worn by Davis 
as a disguise at the time of his capture, and which was 
identified by the men who saw him wear it at the time. 
On the morning following, the balance of the disguise was 
procured, which consisted of a shawl, which was identified 
and admitted to be one of Mrs. Davis'. These articles I 
brought to Washington and turned them over to the Sec- 
retary of War. It is indeed hard to individualize when all 
have done their whole duty, but still I would make special 
mention of those assigned to special duties, and who per- 
formed those duties well; among them are Captain Hatha- 
way, commanding that part of the regiment picketing the 
rear; Captain Charles T. Hudson, in command of the ad- 
vance guard of fourteen picked men, and who led the column 
into camp; Lieut. Silas J. Stauber and Henry S. Boutelle, 
who were commanding fifty men each, in detachments, the 
latter of whom was severely wounded, while gallantly lead- 
ing his men; Lieut. A. B. Purinton, who had charge of the 
dismounted men, making the circuit of the enemy's camp; 
Lieuts. Dickinson and Davis, for general duties as aids, and 
Bennett, commanding rear guard. All the above officers 
are entitled to the highest praise, and in my judgment, de- 
serve promotion. In conclusion, at the request of the Ad- 
jutant General, that I should state in my report to whom, 



MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 53 

in my judgment, the reward offered by the government 
ought to be given. I feel that in no case should the reward 
be granted to a less number than one hundred and twenty- 
eight men and eight officers who were actually present at 
the time of Davis' capture, and I'm inclined to the opinion 
that it should be distributed to the four hundred and nine- 
teen men and twenty officers comprising the expedition; 
and when I say this, I believe I utter the wishes of a major- 
ity of the officers and men. With these remarks, the whole 
is respectfully submitted, and I have the honor to sub- 
scribe myself, D. B. PRITCHARD, 

Lieut. Col. 4th Mich. Cav. 

We neglected to state that on the 6th to 8th day of May, 
Lieut. Col. Andreas, with the 7th Pa., had been in pursuit of 
the party, scouting the country east and south of Macon; 
and on the 6th had overtaken one part of the original party. 
Crossing the Ocmulgee the regiment pushed on after Davis 
and his party, making during the night of the 9th, a circuit 
eastward of Irwinville, Georgia, and planted themselves on 
t'ie morning of the 10th, on the road southward of that place 
intending to intercept Davis and his party while on the 
march; but while waiting for him to come along, learned 
that Davis had been captured that morning by the 4th 
Michigan Cavalry, commanded by Col. Pritchard. After the 
capture of Davis, no further military active duties were re- 
quired of the command, the regiments, except the detail of 
the 4th Mich., sent with Davis, remaining in the vicinity of 
Macon until the morning of May 23d, when the 4th Ohio, 
4th Michigan, 123d Illinois and 72d Indiana, left Macon for 
home, the 7th Pa. and Fourth U. S. Regulars escorting them 
to the trains, and bidding them good-bye with cheers, hand- 
shakes, and good wishes, but without speeches. 

About the first of June, the Second Battalion of the 7th 
Pennsylvania received orders to board the train for Eufaula, 
Alabama, where it remained until the 13th of August, when 
it was ordered back to Macon, Georgia. 

During the last campaign the brigade had marched from 
Louisville, Ky., to Macon, Ga., a distance of seven hundred 
and seventy-eight miles; had captured the cities of Selma 
and Montgomery, Ala., and West Point, Macon and Colum- 
bus, Georgia, after a sharp battle at each of these places 



54 MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

except Montgomery; had been victorious in every engage- 
ment, and had closed its most remarkable military record 
by the capture of the Confederate Chief. And now, with the 
proud consciousness of a sacred duty well performed, it 
passed from sight and into history. The following is Gen- 
eral Wilson's order, disbanding the cavalry corps: 



General Wilson's Order. 

General Order No. 39. 
Headquarters Cavalry Corps, M. D. M., 
Macon, Ga., July 2d, 1865. 

To the officers and men of the Cavalry Corps, Military Di- 
vision of the Mississippi : 

Your corps has ceased to exist. The rebellion has ter- 
minated in the re-establishment of your country upon the 
basis of nationality and perpetual unity. Your deeds have 
contributed a noble part to the noble result, they have passed 
into history and need no recital from me. In the nine 
months during which I have commanded you, I have heard 
no reproach upon your conduct,— have had no disaster to 
chronicle. The glowing memories of Franklin, Nashville, 
West Harpeth, Ebenezer Church, Selma, Montgomery, Col- 
umbus, West Point and Macon may well fill your hearts and 
mine with pride. You have learned to believe yourselves 
invincible, and contemplating your honorable deeds, may 
justly cherish that belief. You may be proud of your splen- 
did discipline, no less than your courage, zeal and endur- 
ance. The noble impulses which have inspired you in the 
past will be a source of enduring honor in the future. 
" Peace has her victories, no less renowned than war." Do 
not forget that clear heads, honest hearts, and stout arms, 
guided by pure patriotism, are the surest defense of your 
country in every peril. Upon them depend the substantial 
progress of your race and order of civilization, as well as the 
liberty of all mankind. Let your example in civil life be an 
incitement to industry, good order and enlightenment, while 
your deeds in war shall live in the grateful remembrance of 
your countrymen. Having discharged every military duty 



MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 55 

honorably and faithfully, return to your homes with the 
noble sentiment of your martyr President deeply impressed 
upon every heart: "With malice against none and charity 
to all, strive to do the right as God gives you to see the 
right." 

(Signed) JAMES H. WILSON, 

Major General. 

The Second Battalion of our regiment, 7th Pa. Cavalry, 
was under the command of Major Benjamin S. Dartt, who 
was promoted to Major Feb. 13, 1865, on account of faithful 
and distinguished services. Our company, Co. B, was under 
Captain Jonas P. Long, who was promoted December 19, 
1864, present residence Vallajo, California. Second 
Lieutenant John M. Rich, who was promoted to Second 
Lieutenant of Company B, February 13, 1865. On 
our arrival at Eufaula, we were moved into the Confederate 
barracks, which had been left by the enemy, when they re- 
turned home. There were three different buildings, and 
they made us. very comfortable quarters during our residence 
here. The barracks were finely located on the west bank of 
the Chattahoochie River. The Hospital was located about 
ten rods west of the barracks. The town is the county seat 
of Barbour Co., Alabama, and contained at the census of 
1890, about 4,300 people. Our sole duties at this place were 
the paroling of the Confederates, after they returned to their 
homes. Their paroles required them to be sworn never to 
take up arms against the U. S. Government again, until 
properly exchanged as prisoners of war. Lieut. Rich was 
promoted Provost Marsha], and after we were promoted to 
Company Clerk, at Macon, Ga., we were detailed with the 
Provost Marshal to assist him in drawing up paroles for the 
prisoners. After visiting their respective homes a short 
time, the Confederates (both officers and men), came to the 
Provost Marshal's office in Eufaula to receive their required 
paroles. After my promotion to Company Clerk of our com- 
pany, I was detailed with Lieut. J. M. Rich at different 
times to assist him in his required duty of Provost Marshal 
of the U. S. Cavalry forces in Alabama. Occasionally I was 
employed on duty with Sergeant D. J. Quaid, Quartermaster 
H. J. Marvin, and Captain J. F. Long. Our sole duties as 
clerk for the above officers of our company was to register 



56 MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

the troops for final payment and discharge, and, eventually, 
to muster them out of the volunteer service. 

In the evening, the camp guards were put on duty, the 
guns and sabers were polished up and the horses and camps 
were well brushed and policed. Along during July the 
watermelon season came in, for which Alabama was con- 
ceded to be famous, and for both sweet potatoes and melons 
she was hard to beat. Whole wagon loads came to town to 
be retailed out to the Yankee-Federals, and as the boys had 
been through the mill, of course they got their fill. Fre- 
quently the boys took a flounder in the Chattahoochie, which 
was navigable for steamers as far north as Columbus, 
Georgia. The river was about the same width as the Peea- 
tonica at Freeport, Illinois. One day the boys got hold of 
an old violin. Three of our company, Fred Heichemer, 
Sergt. H. J. Marvin and John A. Patton, could play the 
instrument. The violin music at the barracks soon began 
to attract the attention of a few colored ladies and gentle- 
men from both town and country. 

The boys soon formed the idea that it would be fun and 
amusement to indulge in a little Alabama hoe-down occa- 
sionally, so the boys arranged for a sort of two-step in the 
barracks, which they frequently applauded and of course 
the dance elicited the applause of the audience all around. 

A substantial covered wagon bridge spanned the river 
from the Alabama side to the Georgia line. One day we 
happened to be down on the river bridge exercising around 
for pastime, when suddenly a man came riding a horse and 
approached the bridge, dismounted, and was apparently 
awaiting the arrival of a party of ladies and gentlemen. 
Soon a buggy appeared on the scene, containing a gentle- 
man and two ladies. The boys soon knew the object of the 
meeting. The mounted gentleman proved to be a minister 
and soon the young lady and her soldier lover were united 
in the holy bonds of matrimony. The elderly lady who 
came with them was the bride's mother. This was the only 
wedding we ever saw in the south, but the joke was surely 
on the boys when they got no pie or cake. 

Nothing occurred at the barracks or on the banks of the 
Chattahoochie of any consequence, until the Fourth of July 
came around. The boys had sent to Fort Valley for a forty- 
pounder cannon with which to celebrate the glorious Fourth. 



MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB $7 

The gun was promptly shipped to us a short time before the 
Fourth, and pulled up from the station by the boys by hand 
to our quarters at the barracks. Well, the Fourth came in 
on time and to use a quotation from the colored folks, it 
also came booming hot weather, a sort of Alaboomer. Prob- 
ably a dozen or more rounds were fired some twenty-five 
rods east of the barracks. In the afternoon a. strong rope 
was secured, with which we pulled the gun through town up 
near College Hill. Here the firing was kept up until the 
powder was all exhausted, when we pulled the gun back to 
our camp again. The national salute of about fifty shots 
attracted the attention of both white and colored folks, 
and at about 2 o'clock P. M., we had some 300 visitors in 
town from the surrounding country. The boys were very 
straight and in good spirits all day and all seemed to enjoy 
the celebration immensely, after the salvation of the Yankee 
Eagle. 

About the middle of July a detail was made up from the 
battalion of a number of men to be sent on detached duty 
to Florida. Lieut. J. H. Summers, who had been promoted 
to Captain after the battle of Selma, was, I think, ordered 
to command the detachment. I received a number of letters 
after we came to Illinois, from Captain Summers, who in- 
formed me that he was taken sick after they arrived at 
Fort Wood, Florida, and for nearly a month he was uncon- 
scious, ,^nd nearly everything was a blank to him, and he 
says he was wholly unconscious part of the time. 

About the 10th of August we received orders from head- 
quarters at Macon, Georgia, to leave Eufaula and come to 
Macon, at which place the required preparations for our 
departure homeward would be made. Accordingly we left 
Eufaula on the 13th of August and went into camp again 
at Macon for a short time. We were, ere long all mustered 
out of the service there, and our discharges were all written 
up at that city. John A. Patton of our company was de- 
tailed also to discharge the duties of an extra clerk, and 
we were nearly every day with Sergeant Quaid and Captain 
J. F. Long. Before we were sent to Eufaula, Col D. B. 
Pritchard and his command which had captured Jefferson 
Davis and his party, halted on the Macon road about one 
mile south of our camp. We were informed that if we 
desired to see Mr. Davis and his lady, his wife's sister, Miss 



58 MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

Harris, and the whole party, we could do so while they were 
stopping on the Macon road. Mr. Davis was dressed in a 
good suit of southern home-spun, of a butternut color, with 
a broad brimmed hat nearly white, and was smooth shaven 
and looked very intelligent. 



CHAPTER VII. 



Discharged Aug. 23rd, 1865— Grand Reception 
at Pittsburg. 

About the 1st of September, 1865, we received orders to 
break camp at Macon, Georgia, march to the railroad sta- 
tion and board the train for Harrisburg, Pa. The 4th U. S. 
Regulars (cavalry), which gallant regiment had always been 
on intimate and friendly terms with our regiment, were re- 
quested by their Colonel to act as escort, and accompany 
our regiment to the depot preparatory to our departure for 
our homes in Pennsylvania. The 4th Regulars formed in 
line in front of the railroad station, drew their sabers and 
saluted the 7th Pennsylvania Cavalry, which command or- 
dered the entire regiment to give three cheers for the 4th 
IT. S. Cavalry. After we boarded the train at Macon, our 
first run was into Atlanta. The city presented a desolate 
appearance after the war, but in the course of a few years 
began to grow and improve rapidly. 

In 1904 the city contained 98,700 inhabitants. But prob- 
ably contains at present (1908) over 100,000. Atlanta is 
now the state capitol of Georgia, and the most important 
commercial city in the state. 

Our next run was into Chattanooga, Tennessee, which is 
the county town of Hamilton County, Tennessee, and con- 
tained in 1890, 29,000 souls. In 1904, the estimated popula- 
tion was 30,500. The city is located on the Tennessee River, 
and is the center of a network of important railroads. The 
principal object of interest in the vicinity is " Lookout 



60 MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

Mountain," three miles south of the city, a fine view of 
which can be obtained from passing trains of the Nashville 
& Chattanooga and the St. Louis railroads. Since the war, 
Lookout Mountain has become one of the best patronized 
summer resorts in the south. Upon the summit of the 
mountain, several miles in extent, are numerous hotels and 
cottages, affording ample accommodations for visitors. 
From Point Lookout overlooking the city, the battlefield of 
Missionary Ridge, the National Cemetery, and for many 
miles the course of the Tennessee River, is obtained one of 
the grandest views this country affords. 

After leaving Chattanooga, the next important place, of 
which history gives an account, is Murfreesboro, county seat 
of Rutherford County, Tennessee. Murfreesboro was the 
capitol of Tennessee from 1817 to 1827. A great battle was 
fought there January 1st and 3d, 1863. The next important 
place we passed through was Nashville, the capitol of Ten- 
nessee, and is distinguished for its enterprising spirit, liter- 
ary taste and polished society. The capitol building, 135 
by 240 feet, on a commanding eminence, 175 feet above the 
river, is built of fine limestone, resembling marble and quar- 
ried on the spot. Its estimated cost is $1,000,000, and is con- 
sidered one of the most noble structures on the continent. 
In the census of 1900, the city contained 82,700 souls. 

On our next run from Nashville we passed through Cave 
City, which is eight miles east of the celebrated Mammoth 
Cave of Kentucky. Our next run was into the City of Louis- 
ville, Kentucky, at the falls of the Ohio River. It is the 
largest city in the state, The falls of the Ohio are merely 
rapids. A canal has been built around them. A substantial 
iron bridge connects Louisville with Jeffersonville, Indiana. 
It is one of the most extensive tobacco markets in the world, 
and is an important river port and railway center. The 
population of the city, as estimated in 1907, was 245,000. 
Louisville is a great commercial and manufacturing city, and 
the county seat of Jefferson County, and one of the largest 
cities between Pittsburg and St. Louis. In 1895 the National 
Reunion of the Grand Army of the Republic was held here; 
Ivan W. Walker of Indiana was elected Commander-in-Chief. 

How long we remained at Louisville we have forgotten, 
but in the course of time we received orders to board the 
steamer for Cincinnati, Ohio. We all arrived at the latter 



MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 61 

city early in the morning. I think about the first of Sep- 
tember. Cincinnati was first laid out in 1788, and began 
to flourish after 1794, since which time its growth in popu- 
lation, wealth and trade has been exceedingly rapid, and 
it is now one of the largest cities on the Ohio River. The 
third National Encampment, G. A. R., was held in Cincin- 
nati at which General John A. Logan of Illinois was elected 
Commander-in-Chief, 1869. Also the 32d and 33d encamp- 
ments. The 32d was held in 1898 and the 33d the same year. 
Col. James A. Saxton of Illinois:, and Col. W. C. Johnson 
of Ohio, were elected Commanders-in-Chief. 

If our memory serves us correctly we remained in Cin- 
cinnati until 11 o'clock A. M., at which time our train 
being ready for us we were soon wending our way over 
the Pittsburg, Cincinnati and St. Louis railroad for Colum- 
bus, Ohio. Columbus is the county town of Hamilton 
County, on the Sciota River, one hundred and nine miles 
north-east of Cincinnati. It is also the state Capitol of 
Ohio. January 1st, 1907, the estimated population of the 
city was 180,000. The 22d National Encampment was held 
here in 1888, and William Warner (now member of Con- 
gress from Missouri) was elected Commander-in-Chief. We 
arrived in the city about 4 o'clock P. M., but were not 
allowed to leave the train, and of course could not view the 
city. 

About 6 o'clock P. M. we moved off again and passed 
Newark and Steubenville on our way to Pittsburg, Pa. 
The latter city was reached about 4 o'clock P. M., Sept 2d. 
About twenty or twenty-five miles west of the city we 
passed a fine mansion, on the north side of the railroad, 
and before our train appeared opposite the house, a young 
lady came from the house and walked onto the front porch 
with a fine flag in her hands, which she began to wave from 
right to left with the greatest enthusiasm and the 7th Pa. 
boys smiled their compliments and surely thought she was 
the girl of the hour. 

From August 23d to September $th, 1865. 

When our train pulled into the railroad station at Pitts- 
burg, we were soon ordered to fall in line, and were marched 
to the Soldiers Home for supper. Two companies at a time 
were served supper and all felt thankful for the hospitality 



62 MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

and the grand entertainment furnished by the citizens of 
greater Pittsburg. 

Pittsburg is a port of entry and county seat of Alle- 
gheny County, Pennsylvania. It is situated at the conflu- 
ence of the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers, which here 
form the Ohio. Pittsburg is 354 miles west of Philadelphia, 
313 miles east by northeast from Cincinnati, 468 miles south 
of east from Chicago, and 223 miles northwest of Washing- 
ton. Pittsburg is one of the principal manufacturing points 
in the United States. The most extensive are the iron inter- 
est, glass, and manufactories of railroad supplies, etc. The 
estimated population of the city January 1st, 1907, was 
400,000. After supper we marched to the Pennsylvania 
Central Station, our destination, of course, being Harris- 
burg. A large crowd of people thronged the streets of Pitts- 
burg to see Wilson's Cavalry on their way home and when 
we pulled out for Harrisburg we were cheered by the kind 
and patriotic people of Pittsburg for several miles. 

On our next run east we passed through Greensburg, 
Altoona, Huntington, Tyrone, Mifflin and Lewiston. We 
reached Bridgeport on the Susquehanna River, opposite 
Harrisburg, about 4 o'clock P. M., Sept. 3d, 1865. As our 
train slowed up for the last station we were amused to see 
the boys jump from the cars and strike out for their homes. 
About 6 o'clock P. M. our train crossed the river to Harris- 
burg and pulled in near Camp Curtin. A fine shower of 
rain set in and most of the men remained on the train until 
the shower was over. We soon received marching orders, 
to go into camp again at Camp Curtin. We put up our 
tents and settled down into camp life again. We were sup- 
plied with the large marquee here and they gave us more 
room and made us more comfortable during our last camp 
life. 

The next day was Sunday and the boys were surely 
feeling good when they reflected that no camp guards or 
pickets would be put out to-day, and as Comrade J. A. 
Patton used to say we were now enjoying the quiet walk of 
life. Everything being all quiet on the Potomac, a party 
of the boys drummed up a swimming excursion and enjoyed 
a lively flounder in the Pennsylvania Canal. 



CHAPTER VIII. 



Arrival at Harrisburg — Final Camp Life at 
Camp Curtin. 

On the following Monday those soldiers who had went 
to their homes from: Bridgeport, came back to camp again, 
to receive the last installment of their wages. On the same 
day Nathan Baker of Co. B and my father (Henry H. 
Straub) came down from Muncy to visit our regiment and 
take in the sights of Harrisburg. Comrade Baker had been 
home on furlough and was obliged to report to the regiment 
again. My father seemed to enjoy himself with the men 
and doubtless the camp life reminded him of the time when 
he was Orderly Sergeant of the Muncy Dragoons. In the 
afternoon the Paymaster of the army came out to camp 
from the city and paid the regiment. 

In a short time we realized we should have to bid both 
men and officers good bye and get ready to leave for our 
homes. The following named comrades returned to their 
homes at Muncy, Pennsylvania: Nathan Baker, Pierson 
Baker, Joseph Hill, William Merrills, Ehrman S. Dykins, 
Benjamin F. Miller, Benjamin P. Warner and Edward A. 
Straub. We arrived home September 5th, 1865. Of course 
we were all thankful and delighted to see our parents, sis- 
ters and brothers again. Our particular friends and rela- 
tives soon began to visit us. Miss Alice Adlum and her 
father of Altoona, Pa., visited us at different times. Miss 
Adlum 's father, the Honorable Joseph Gr. Adlum of Altoona, 
was a member of the Pennsylvania Legislature during the 



64 MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

war. He was a first cousin of my mother, Elizabeth Adlum 
Straub. He had formerly been a good practical school 
teacher and subsequently held an important position with 
the Pennsylvania Central railroad at Altoona, 

Sergeant Charles Trudell also came down to Pennsdale 
from Williamsport, to visit Nathan Baker and his comrades 
in the vicinity of Pennsdale. 

Aaron H. Malaby, who had been taken prisoner March 
1st, 1864, in Tennessee, had arrived home. He and a num- 
ber of others of our regiment were confined in prison at 
Cahawba, Alabama. He was discharged by general order, 
Aug. 12th, 1865. Benjamin F. Warner, who was captured 
at Noonday Creek, Georgia, June 20th, 1864, was at home. 
Comrade Warner died February 22d, 1896, at Pennsdale, 
Lycoming County, Pa. 

Roster of Schoolmates of Pennsville and Vicinity, Who 
Enlisted for the Civil War, from 1861 to 1865. 

Forrest M. Lentz, Co. B, 84th Pa. Inf., Kingston, 111. 

Wilson Gundrum, Co. B, 84th Pa. Inf., Montour sville, Pa. 

Henry Whitacre, 84th Pa. Inf., died at Alexandria, Va. 

Sergt. William S. Everingham, Co. B, 84th Pa. Inf. 

Erastus Jones, Co. H, 131st Pa. and 2d Pa. Artillery. 

John B. Everingham, 2d Pa. Artillery, Cass Co., Mich. 

James Duncan, Co. H, 131st Pa, Inf. 

Jeremiah Rogers, 2d Pa. Artillery, died in prison. 

Norman Green, 2d Pa. Artillery. 

Joshua Oyster, 2d Pa. Artillery. Ripon, Wis. 

Isaac B. Jones, 8th IT. S. Regulars, killed in Alabama. 

Alfred Whitacre, Co. F, 50th N. Y. Engineers, P. 0. Shan- 
non, 111. 

Joseph D. Artley, 87th Pa. Inf., P. 0. Picture Rocks, Pa, 

John Schick, Pa. Inf., Co. D, 177th Pa, Yol. Inf. 

Henry Schick, Pa. Inf., mustered in Oct. 30th, 1862. 

Col. Robert A. McCoy, Co. F, 11th Pa. Reserves, 5th Army 
Corps. 

Charles McCoy, Co. F, 106th Pa, Inf. 

Cyrus McCoy, Pa, Inf. 

Allen McCoy, Co. F, 61st Pa, Inf. 

Henry McCoy, Co. F 106th Pa, Inf., drowned in James River. 

John R, McCoy, 1st Kansas Cavalry. 



MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 65 

Peter R, McCoy, Co. F, 18th Pa, Cavalry. 

Robert A. McCoy, Co. A, 40th Pa. Inf. 

Frank Gray, 5th Pa. Cavalry. 

Jacob Dietrick, 5th Pa. Cavalry. 

Frank Arnold, 5th Pa. Cavalry. 

William Steele, Pa. Inf., died in Maryland. 

Bert Shipman, Co. H, 131 Pa. Inf. 

John Werling, Pa. Inf., Williamsport, Pa, 

Charles D. Artley, Pa, Inf. 

Henry Getz, 2d Pa, Artillery. 

Daniel Mortimer, 8th U. S. Colored Inf. 

J. M. McDaniels, 112th Regiment, Battery K, Pennsylvania 

Heavy Artillery, Mnncy, Pa. 
Charley A. Artley, Co. D, 177th Pa, Inf., mustered in Oct. 

30th, 1862. 



CHAPTER IX. 



Father Visits Illinois — Five Families 
Emigrate. 

In the fall of the year, October, 1866, father began to 
make preparations for a trip to Illinois, His sole object in 
visiting this great Western State was to inspect and inves- 
tigate the country, preparatory to buying for himself and 
family a new home in Northern Illinois, Before making his 
visit to the West, he had written to his brother (Uncle 
George Straub) who then lived in Nipenose Township, Clin- 
ton County, Pa,, to come down to Muney and pay us a visit. 
Accordingly he arrived in a short time and very soon my 
two uncles, George Straub and Uncle John B. Adlum, began 
to talk of selling out their entire possessions and property, 
and emigrating to Illinois. Mother had an uncle, Cornelius 
Rynearson, who lived in Peoria County, and four first cous- 
ins, James, John, Rebecca and Prof. C. Low Rynearson, all 
of whom lived some twenty miles east of Galesburg. The 
result of the meeting of father and his brother at our home 
near Muncy was their firm decision to leave ere long for 
the great Northwest. Father came to Illinois via Erie City, 
Cleveland and Chicago. At the latter city he took the Chi- 
cago and Northwestern railroad for Freeport, He had a 
brother, the late Jacob Straub, living three miles west of 
Shannon in Carroll County, whom he had not seen for many 
years. After he left Freeport to visit his brother, the con- 
templation of the garden spots in old Carroll County must 
have been most interesting to him. "Yes, sir," said a Penn- 
sylvania lady, after she had visited Northern Illinois, "Ste- 
phenson County, Illinois, that's the place!" 



MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 67 

William Shannon, the founder of the town of Shannon, 
after whom the place was named, remarked to father one 
day that the society was of the best; the lower classes were 
moving on west. 

Off to Illinois — Four Families Get the Western Fever. 

Father, after he had visited his brother Jacob, west of 
Shannon, was very much pleased with old Carroll County, 
and he decided to return to Pennsylvania again, make sale, 
and emigrate to Illinois, in which state he would make his 
future home. Accordingly he took the train at Shannon, and 
returned to Freeport, with the intention of visiting mother's 
relatives in Knox and Peoria Counties, Illinois. 

He first visited James Rynearson at Knoxville, which was 
then the county seat of Knox County; next he visited Prof. 
C. Low Rynearson and family, John and family, and their 
father, Cornelius Rynearson, who resided near Elmwood, 
Illinois. His relatives admitted that they had a fine farming 
country, coal in abundance, and the fertility of the soil was 
unsurpassed. 

He next visited Peoria City, which in point of population 
is the second city in Illinois. At the latter city he took the 
train on the Toledo, Peoria and Warsaw railroad, for Fort 
Wayne, Indiana. At Fort Wayne he boarded a regular 
train on the Pittsburg, Fort Wayne and Chicago railroad for 
Pittsburg and Altoona Pa. At Altoona, mother had two first 
cousins, the Hon. Joseph G. Adlum and lady. They had two 
sons and two daughters, Miss Alice and Katie. A short 
time before Father arrived at Altoona Katie told her mother 
of a singular dream she had the night before. She said she 
dreamed that a stranger visited them, who wore a nice 
black hat, a: fine brown vest and pants to match, and wore 
a sort of steel gray dress coat. She said her dream came 
true. Mr. Adlum was employed in a large general store in 
Altoona, and subsequently was with the Pennsylvania Cen- 
tral. 

Off to Illinois — Five Families Contract the Western Fever. 

After a very enjoyable visit and kind reception by 
his relatives at Altoona, father returned via Harrisburg to 
Muncy, during the latter part of October. 



68 MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

After his arrival home he soon gave a descriptive out- 
line of Illinois, and the wonderful resources, fertility of 
soil, etc., of the great Western prairies. 

Mother's only brother, John B. Adlum, told father that 
he would soon sell his farm, make sale, and leave for Illinois. 
Mr. J. C. Forry and family, Uncle Geo. Straub and family, 
Alfred Whitacre and his brother, Edwin A. Whitacre, all 
soon decided to accompany the party to Illinois, for the 
purpose of securing new homes in the great Northwest. 

Mother had inherited fifteen acres of land from her 
father's estate, which she soon sold to Jacob Pry, of Muncy, 
Pa., for one hundred and twenty-five dollars per acre. Uncle 
John B. Adlum had received from his father, the late Ed- 
ward Adlum, fifty-five acres, which he also sold to Mr. Fry. 

Accordingly we made sale on the 5th of March, 1867. 
Everything on the sale bills, agricultural implements, stock, 
etc., brought a good fair price. I also sold a fine buggy that 
was made at Millersburg, Pa, Buggy and harness brought 
me one hundred and eighteen dollars. After settlement and 
collection of all sale bills, we visited our friends and relatives 
in and around Pennsdale and Muncy before our departure 
for the West. Mother's sister, Aunt Ellen, had bought 
father's house and lots in Pennsdale, which of course af- 
forded her a fine home. Aunt Nellie was a devoted member 
of St. James Episcopal Church, and a handsome woman. 

On Monday, March 18th, 1867, we left Pennsdale, Pa,, for 
Williamsport. We had previously engaged Joseph D. Artley, 
a first cousin, who had a good spring wagon to convey us to 
the Pennsylvania Central station at Williamsport. At the 
latter city the entire party met to take the train on the 
Philadelphia and Erie railroad for Illinois. Our route was 
via Erie City, Cleveland, Crestline and Fort Wayne, to Chi- 
cago. At the latter city we changed cars for Freeport, 
and came over the Chicago and Northwestern railroad, ar- 
riving at the latter city about 5 o'clock P. M. March 21st, 
1867. 

At Chicago two of our party, Alfred and Edwin A. 
Whitacre, changed cars and boarded the Chicago, Burlington 
and Quincy railroad for Brighton, Iowa. We were informed 
that they had relatives at Brighton and in the vicinity of 
Washington, Iowa. Uncle George's family settled at George- 
town, Carroll County, Illinois. 



MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 69 

Uncle John B. Adlum remained a few days at Shannon, 
and subsequently decided to settle in Peorio County, 111. He 
afterwards purchased a fine farm of eighty acres, six miles 
west of Monica, and seven miles northwest of Brimfield. In 
the fall of 1868 he married Hester Jane Nixon, formerly of 
Northumberland County, Pa. Our family remained a short 
time visiting our uncle, the late Jacob Straub, who lived 
three miles west of Shannon. We then rented a farm of 
eighty acres four miles east of Shannon, which then was 
owned by the late Balser Bistline of Co. K, 93d 111. Infantry. 
Our crops consisted of potatoes, oats, wheat and corn. 



CHAPTER X, 



Settled on a Good Farm Purchased in Cherry Grove 
Township. 

During the season of 1867, we remained on Mr. Bistline 's 
farm, four miles east of Shannon, in Ogle County, until 
fall. In the meantime father bought a small farm contain- 
ing sixty-two and a half acres, of the late William D. Gem- 
mill, for thirty-two dollars per acre. 

While living in Ogle County, we were blessed with splen- 
did good neighbors. Their names were Benjamin and 
Christian Yordy, formerly of Lancaster County, Pa. Chris- 
tian had two gallant sons in the Union Army during the 
great Civil War. John was a member of Company B, 26th 

111. Infantry, and Christian of Co Mrs. Benjamin 

Yordy was a sister of Captain Geo. Conrad, formerly of the 
77th Pa. Vol. Infantry. Comrade Yordy died in Freeport a 
few years ago. Christian has been living in Chicago for 
the past ten years. Amos married Miss Anna Thomas, a fine 
woman of Lena, and is in the insurance and real estate busi- 
ness in Shannon. Both the Yordy families were kind and 
excellent neighbors. 

In the fall we moved on the farm four miles northwest of 
Shannon, in Cherry Grove Township, Carrol County. One of 
our first cousins, Miss Anna Artley, of Pennsville, Pa., had 
come west to Michigan, to visit her relatives, and in the 
fall she decided to extend her visit to Illinois. She was an 
expert housekeeper, and proved to be a valuable auxiliary 
in the arrangement of our new home. We were now located 



MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 71 

seven miles southeast of Pearl City and thirteen miles south- 
west of Freeport, twenty-eight miles northeast of the Mis- 
sissippi River. During the holidays, Miss Artley and my 
only sister Ellen decided to visit Uncle John B. Adlum and 
the Rynearsons in Peoria and Knox Counties, 111. 

Settled Near Shannon in Our Rural Home. 

Their uncle had written them that a wonderful event was 
to occur sometime during the holidays, provided the river 
did not get too high nor overflow its banks. Doubtless the 
contemplation of uncle and aunt's wedding in the sweet bye 
and bye was one of their future attractions. They reported 
having visited about all their relatives, and were highly 
entertained and kindly received by all. They visited Wil- 
liam Oakes and family, James Rynearson and family, John 
and family, Prof. C. Low Rynearson and family, and moth- 
er's uncle, Cornelius Rynearson. They returned home, over 
the Illinois Central railroad via Freeport, some time in Feb- 
ruary, 1868. Miss Artley returned to Michigan early in the 
spring. She had an aunt and uncle, Mr. and Mrs. Ellis 
Artley, who lived about eight miles north of White Pigeon 
in St. Joseph County. 

After we had settled down at our new home on the 
farm, our attention was called to some needed improvements. 
A new double corn crib and barn were badly needed. John, 
my youngest brother, who was only twelve years of age when 
we left Pennsylvania, attended the Spring Valley school. 
The school was a large one when we settled in Spring Valley. 
Miss Charlotte Winters was the best practical lady teacher. 
The other best teachers, who all combined the rudiments of 
education, and were experts in school management, were, 
namely, Professors Hayes, Shallenberger, Edward C. Dick, 
Theron EL Wilkin, and Prof. Francis M. Hicks. Supt. Mil- 
lard once alleged that Prof. Hicks was one of the most effi- 
cient and practical educators he had ever examined in Car- 
roll County. 



CHAPTER XI. 



Settled in Spring Valley, Carroll Co., 1867- 1868. 
Visitors from Pennsylvania. 

In the spring of 1868 a party of gentlemen from Lan- 
caster County, Pa., came west to Illinois, to make us a 
visit, and their intention was to make themselves useful in 
the harvest fields. Their names were Henry Straub, Lee 
Engel, Eli Engel and Christian Nissley. The first one 
named, Henry K. Straub, was the only son of the late Sam- 
uel Straub, a first cousin of the writer, and a nephew of 
father's. They all proved to be excellent harvest hands. 
Father bought a new Buckeye dropper and harvester of 
W. G. Barnes & Co., of Freeport, which cut and laid the 
barley, oats and wheat, like a row of pins, and in fine shape 
for binding. It required five men to bind the grain after a 
dropper, which made a full set of hands. The boys made 
good work, and seemed to enjoy themselves hugely on the 
grand prairies. Lee Engel had a good flute with him, and 
the tunes of Captain Jenks and the Lauterbach waltz 
seemed to be his favorite airs. Occasionally we gave them 
Yankee doodle and the Perri waltzes on the fife. The boys 
remained with us until fall. They also visited Shannon and 
Freeport occasionally. They thought we had an awful ex- 
panse of country. In the fall the boys returned to their 
homes in Pennsylvania. 

We prevailed on Uncle Samuel to sell out and come to 
Illinois and buy himself a farm, but he wrote us that his 
wife, Aunt Barbara, refused to leave Pennsylvania. She 
since died near Elizabethtown, Lancaster County, Pa. From 



MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 73 

a letter from Cousin Henry K. Straub, of Elizabethtown, Pa., 
bearing date of December 23d, 1896, he informs us that his 
father died from paralysis Dec. 16th, 1896. He was a 
pious and devoted member of the Mennonite Church. 

At Uncle Samuel's funeral, December 19th, 1896, the 
Rev. Myers conducted the funeral services and lead in prayer 
at the house. The funeral sermon was preached by Rev. 
Martin Root, assisted by Revs. Benjamin Lamv and Daniel 
Eshelman. The Reverend gentlemen chose as their text the 
ninth verse of the second chapter of the First Corinthians. 

After their father died Anna moved to* Elizabethtown 
and Henry married Miss Carrie Nauman and settled at 
Harrisburg. We very much regret to announce to our rela- 
tives that we received a letter from Mr. Moses N. Straub, 
of New Cumberland, Cumberland County, Pa., bearing date 
of April 30th, 1908, informing us that his aunt, Miss Anna 
E. Straub, died near Elizabethtown, Lancaster County, Pa., 
November 20th, 1898, aged 52 years and two months. 

He also informed us that his dear father died on Feb- 
ruary 24th, 1905, aged sixty years, eight months and twenty- 
seven days. 

To Mr. and Mrs. Henry K. Straub was born four sons, 
namely, Samuel, the oldest, of New Cumberland, Pa.; he is 
married and has two children; Charles W., of Harrisburg, 
Dauphin County, Pa,, who is married and has two children ; 
Albert N. Straub, who is also married; next Moses W. 
Straub, who resides at New Cumberland, Pa., is married 
and has one child. 

In order to carry on the farm work successfully two 
good teams of horses were purchased, also seed grain, hogs, 
cattle and agricultural implements. Of course we never 
calculated to take too much advice how to run the farm; 
when we thought we were right, we went right ahead, and 
nine times out of ten we pulled through successfully, and 
came in all right on the home stretch. Experience compelled 
us to believe that those who made a chronic habit of giving 
advice proved it up that they were failures sometimes them- 
selves. Garfield said, "Things don't turn up in this world 
unless somebody turns them up " 

On the eve of a heavy battle during the Civil War, the 
Ensign, or color bearer, got in advance of his regiment; 
when his Colonel yelled to him to come back to the regiment 



74 MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

with the colors, the Ensign told the Colonel to bring the 
regiment up to the flag. 

"The secret of success, sticking everlastingly to it." — ; 
Montgomery, Ward & Co. 

"In order to have any success in life, or any worthy 
success, you must resolve to carry into your work a fullness 
of knowledge— not merely a sufficiency, but more than a 
sufficiency. "—James A. Garfield. 

"Poverty is uncomfortable, as I can testify; but nine 
times out of ten the best thing that can happen to a young 
man is to be tossed overboard and compelled to sink or 
swim for himself. In all my acquaintance I never knew a 
man to be drowned who was worth the saving."— Garfield's 
Address to the Students of Hiram College. 



CHAPTER XII. 



An Excursion to Omaha and Kearney — April 20th, 1872. — 
Tiller of the Soil,-- Book Agent and Railroad Boy. 

Having- lived in Carroll County, Illinois, since March, 
1867, (five years), we conceived the idea that a little trip to 
Des Moines, Omaha, Fremont, Grand Island and Kearney, 
Junction would conduce to our health and pleasure during 
the season. We left Shannon, Illinois, April 20th, 1872, for 
Omaha, Neb. After arriving at Rock Island, we concluded 
to take the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific railway, the 
western terminus of which road was then Council Bluffs. On 
arriving at the latter city we transferred across the Mis- 
souri River to Omaha, Neb. We then bought a ticket over 
the Union Pacific railroad for Grand Island, one hundred 
and fifty-four miles west of Omaha. 

Grand Island, where we remained some time, contained 
in 1876, 1,200 people. The town is one of the divisions of 
the Union Pacific railroad, is surrounded by a good farming 
country and numbered at the census of 1900, 7,554 inhab- 
itants, It has been selected since 1872 as the location for 
the Nebraska Soldiers' Home. Two miles south of the town 
is Grand Island, near Platte River, after which the town was 
named. 

The corn planting time soon came around and we thought 
we would strike a job with some of the farmers near town, 
so we took a stroll down to the Island, and called on one of 
the pioneer settlers, whose name was Adam Windolph. He 
told me he was getting ready to plant corn, and in a few 



76 MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

days he would send for me to help him put in his corn crop. 
In a few days he sent two nice little girls to town after me 
to go with them and work for him. Off we went to the farm 
and I had a good home for some time. 

An Excursion to Nebraska and Iowa — 1872. 

After we had finished planting Mr. Windolph's corn 
crop, we returned to Grand Island again and remained in 
town a few days. There was a small tribe of Pawnee In- 
dians encamped near town. Some of the men came to the 
station when the passenger trains came through town, and 
amused the passengers by shooting at oyster cans for tar- 
gets with their bows and arrows. The Indians were quite a 
curiosity to the traveling public and to people who had 
never seen but very few reds before. 

When we arrived in Nebraska, the latter part of April, 
the farmers had about all hired their hands for the season, 
therefore, on account of work being slack after planting 
time, we concluded to leave Nebraska, and run into Iowa. 
We stopped off at Fremont, forty-seven miles west of Omaha,. 
The town is the county seat of Dodge County, Neb., about 
three miles from Platte River, and numbered in the year 
1876, 3,000 people ; at the census of 1,900 over 7,000. The 
country around Fremont is fine, the soil highly productive, 
and fishing and hunting most excellent. 

Before we departed from Grand Island for Fremont, we 
formed the acquaintance of General Oliver Wood of Ports- 
mouth, Ohio, who informed us that he was making a pros- 
pecting tour of Iowa and Nebraska, with the intention of 
locating a colony in the western country. A gentleman by 
the name of Kimball, who was a homesteader living near St. 
Paul, Howard County, happened in town on Saturday, in- 
vited us to accompany him to his home, about twenty-five 
miles north near Loup River. The General and myself re- 
mained at Mr. Kimball's until Monday morning. A few 
days after we returned to town. Gen. Wood was a fine 
man, and was in the Civil War. 

We remained but a short time in Fremont. We went to 
a barber shop in the city, had our hair shingled up in nice 
style, and then called in to talk with one of the leading 
shoemakers of the town. I told the gentleman I observed 



MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 77 

they had a good town here and surrounded by a fine farm- 
ing country, and inquired what show there was for employ- 
ment in the city. He informed me that he would see some 
of the railroad officers and get me a good job in half an 
hour. 

The shoe dealer went out on the street and consulted a 
foreman of the Chicago & Northwestern railroad, who told 
him a good man was wanted at Modale, Harrison County, 
Iowa, about eleven miles northwest of Missouri Valley on the 
Sioux City & Pacific railroad, and seventy-seven miles from 
Sioux City. About 10 o'clock A. M. a passenger train and 
pay car pulled out of Fremont for Missouri Valley, the con- 
ductor of which gave us a free pass to the foreman's home 
at Modale. 

The section foreman's name was Mike Healey. He only 
had three men in charge of his section at that time. Their 
names were Levi Anderson, John Kinney and Matt Healey, 
a brother of the foreman, Mike Healey. We soon got ac- 
quainted with the boys and found they were all jolly good 
fellows. We all went to work at seven in the morning and 
quit at six P. M. The boss's mother and sister, Mary, did 
the cooking and housekeeping. Mr. Anderson lived nearby 
with his sisters and parents. Mike kept about three good 
cows and Mary made us nice soda biscuit frequently. Some- 
times we helped to milk the cows in the morning and assisted 
to plant some potatoes. 

An Outing into Iowa and Nebraska. 
1872 to 1875. 

On Sunday mornings our duty required us to run over 
the section and find out whether the road was all right and 
in good shape. Very few trains were running on Sundays. 
We were employed on the section until about the middle of 
June, about two and one-half months. 

A heavy crop of potatoes, hay, oats and wheat were ex- 
pected in Harrison County that year (1872) and I soon 
found out that railroading was harder work for me than 
farming. Accordingly we packed up our valise again and 
boarded the morning passenger for Missouri Valley, on the 
Chicago & Northwestern railroad, eleven miles southeast of 
Modale. On our arrival at Missouri Valley we had to 



78 MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

change ears, and bought a ticket for Dunlap, one of the 
divisions of the Northwestern road, twenty-six miles due 
east of Missouri Valley. Of course we were sorry to leave 
the folks at Modale, but we wanted to take in the harvest 
and haying in the Boyer Valley; the work was no harder 
and the wages better. 

Arriving at Dunlap we put up at McNeil's Hotel, and 
made ourselves at home there until the haying and harvest 
came around. We recollect having taken a book agency 
for a work entitled "Buffalo Land," giving a narrative of 
the life of William F. Cody (Buffalo Bill) and the exploits 
of an exploring and hunting party on the Western plains. 
Having sold a number of books in town and vicinity, we 
sent in an order for them. They were to be delivered in 
about two weeks. When coming into town one day a farmer 
by the name of William T. Preston met me near his home 
and told me he wanted to hire a man for about three 
months during haying and harvest. He said he would pay 
twenty dollars per month and two dollars per day in har- 
vest. After a chat of a half hour I told Mr. Preston I was 
engaged in selling books until harvest time came in, and 
after I had delivered my books to my subscribers I would 
accept his proposition and come and work for him. He 
was plowing corn when I met him and said he would notify 
me when he wanted to put up his hay and cut his harvest. 

I was never in the habit of carrying a bottle with me, 
but being in a new country and ague was prevalent along 
the Missouri bottoms, I bought one bottle of Hostetter's Bit- 
ters in Dunlap, which seemed to facilitate the sale of the 
book in my territory. In the course of some ten days my 
books came by express and I hustled around to deliver them 
to my subscribers. 

Mr. Preston lived one-half mile west of town; he was 
farming eighty acres of good land owned by himself. He 
had one son and one daughter, Nellie. When his harvest 
was ready we drove into his grain with a Marsh Harvester. 
I drove his team a part of the time and he paid me two 
dollars a day, but we first carted up his hay. 

The country around Dunlap was called the Boyer Valley. 
The Boyer River runs through the valley, passing Woodbine, 
Logan and Missouri Valley, running southwest and empty- 
ing: into the Missouri River. 



MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 79 

Mr. Preston was a native of Connecticut, as was also 
his wife, who had formerly been a teacher in the public 
schools. He informed me that he was a graduate of the 
Poughkeepsie (N. Y.) Commercial College. Of course they 
lived well, the New England folks being very fond of dough- 
nuts and pies ; but I soon saw they were very close, but good 

pay. 

After harvest we went from Mr. Preston's to Mr. B. F. 
Green's, about two miles southwest of Preston's farm to 
harvest. Mr. Green was on a farm he had rented in the 
spring, and had a good crop of corn and wheat. He had 
bought a new harvesting machine (a dropper), which made 
good work and was easy to bind up by the harvest hands. 
Five different men were required to bind after a dropper. 
The hands all made good work and Mr. Green's harvest was 
soon wound up and shocked in good shape. 

Prof. Ostrom of Dunlap and Mr. Bert Tyler, neighbors 
of Mr. Green's also employed us to put up their harvests. 
Willie Green saddled a horse and supplied us with plenty 
of good water and milk to drink in harvest. Mr. Green was 
also a native of Connecticut and one of the early settlers. 
After the harvest was over we took in the threshing season 
and were then employed by Mr. Preston again on the farm 
during September and October. 

While out plowing one day we were caught in a heavy 
storm, which came in from the northwest and in a couple of 
days were very lame from catching cold. We were obliged 
to quit work for a while, and went to town until we recov- 
ered again. 

Along in the beginning of October, 1872, we left Dun- 
lap, and went to Omaha, where we remained until corn husk- 
ing time came in for the farmers. On about the 1st of No- 
vember, we ran into the city of Des Moines (the state cap- 
itol of Iowa) and in a few days Captain Hilbert, the man- 
ager of the Pacific House, succeeded in getting us a big job 
of husking about seven miles northwest of the city near 
Walnut Creek. An old gentleman by the name of Robinson 
and his son were on a big rented farm of 1,000 acres. Mr. 
Robinson had about three hundred acres of corn on the 
farm. We all commenced husking as soon as the corn was 
fit to crib, but as Mr. Robinson was without cribs for his 
whole crop, we were obliged to unload the corn in an open 



80 MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

cattle yard. He was feeding at the time probably one hun- 
dred and fifty large steers for the market. His son Henry 
had charge of the cattle. 

Our employer had, I think, about eight different hands in 
the corn field. Each man was given a team and we all 
husked by the day. The crop of corn that year was heavy 
and everything else raised on the farms. Along during the 
middle of December the weather came in very cold, and the 
boys had to move pretty lively to keep warm enough and 
keep up a circulation. 

One of the Swede boys was a good cobbler and very 
handy in fixing or patching up our husking gloves. I re* 
member two of the boys' names, John Brenning and Byron 
Dexter. They were both good shuckers, but Mr. Dexter 
was the fastest husker on the farm. He told me he was 
born in Roekford, Illinois. 

An old gentleman lived with Mr. Robinson whom the 
boys called Uncle Daniel. One evening the boys came in 
from the corn field and Uncle Daniel came out to meet us. 
He said, "Boys, I want to tell you that it's just going to be 
stingin' to-night." The boys said, "You're right, Uncle.' ' 

Well, we all picked on till near Christmas and the fact 
is we were all compelled to tie up and quit work until after 
the holidays. I went to Des Moines after my mail and, as 
the soldier said, I calculated to stop there until I came back. 
After the holidays I took my departure over the Chicago, 
Rock Island and Pacific R. R., via Davenport and Rock 
Island, for Shannon, Illinois. 



CHAPTER XIII. 



At Home in Spring Valley, Carroll County, III. — A Martial 
Band Organized — Teacher of a Public School. 

We arrived home near the holidays and found the folks 
all very well. They were indeed glad to see us again. We 
found the weather stinging cold when we crossed the Father 
of Waters at Davenport, to Rock Island, Illinois. 

Our duties at home during the winter were to assist the 
boys with the chores, feeding hogs and cattle, keeping up 
the fires, and mincing at fried cakes and pumpkin pies 
occasionally. Anything occcurring out of the ordinary in 
entertainments at Shannon and Freeport we were generally 
on hand to take them in. 

When I came home from the war I bought me a pretty 
good violin and in a short time I learned to get several tunes 
out of the instrument. After we had lived in Carroll 
County some ten or fifteen years, I formed the idea that I 
would buy another violin, so off we went for Freeport, which 
city is thirteen miles northeast, via Bolton, from our farm. 
After I struck the Elizabeth road, some three miles north 
of Van Brocklin, I met a minister, who invited me to ride 
with him to Freeport. A snow storm set in before I reached 
the Elizabeth road, but everybody knows that a soldier and 
a preacher were generally compelled to face the storm — the 
preacher to expound the scriptures for the salvation of his 
flock and the soldier to move and march on to save his 
country. 

Well, about 9 o'clock we were in Freeport and before 
noon we were at one of the music stores and picked out a 



82 MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

pretty good violin, which outfit cost us five dollars. We left 
the city for home at about 5 o 'clock P. M., arriving in Spring 
Valley at 10 P. M. 

Still a Farmer, or Tiller of the Soil. 

We now had a fife and violin in the house. My youngest 
brother, John, practiced on the fife frequently, and soon 
learned to play a tune on the instrument. Hooker's Human 
Physiology gave an account of a great German musician's 
advice to young men. He declared that young folks should 
practice blowing on wind instruments, as he knew from his 
own experience that they would greatly strength the lungs 
and prove a preventive against consumption. 

Our liesure time during this period was passed in review- 
ing our studies, arithmetic, grammar, history, physiology, 
sifting the newspapers, and on Sundays reading religious 
books and the bible. 

The ministers of different denominations would call to 
see us occasionally, with whom we would have a pleasant 
talk on general information. At different times I wrote the 
Hon. James A. Eose, Secretary of State, for state documents, 
Attorney General's reports, and the Illinois Session Laws. 
One time he sent me some seventy-five volumes of state re- 
ports and requested me to distribute a lot of them to my 
friends and teachers of the public schools. They consisted of 
the reports of state institutions, state Normal schools, 
World 's Fair Commission and state superintendents, all very 
interesting reports. The reports of the State Board of Char- 
ities contain some of the most beautiful and eloquent ad- 
dresses that we ever read. In the meantime we took the 
agency for some standard books and bibles. We sold Deeds 
of Daring by Blue and Gray, Cobbin's Bible Commentary, 
and carried at one time a combination prospectus of one 
hundred and fifty books on history and biography, from St. 
Louis. 

A Martial Band Organized in Spring Valley. 

We having had considerable experience as a fifer for 
martial bands in Pennsylvania and Illinois, the boys thought 
we might just as well organize a drum corps, or martial 
band. One of our neighbor boys, Eli H. Moll, bought the 



MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 83 

first snare or kettle drum and soon afterwards Joseph C. 
Templeman, who married one of Eli's sisters, Susan V. Moll, 
bought himself a good kettle drum. We now needed a bass 
drummer. Accordingly Oliver B. Chitty, of Spring Valley, 
inquired around and heard of a good bass drum, which he 
bought at a reasonable price. We praticed, giving concerts 
at our neighbors every week, in Spring Valley, and the boys 
soon came rapidly to the front as good practical drummers. 
After the boys could knock off Yankee Doodle and other 
familiar tunes, we were soon invited to Shannon, Lanark, 
Mount Carroll, Savanna and Freeport, to play for political 
meetings and rallies. Of course it seemed considerable fun 
and amusement for the boys to attend the rallies and they 
seemed to enjoy them hugely, occasionally. Along after 
the year 1880, our bass drummer, Benjamin Chitty, packed 
up his worldly possession, and informed the boys that he 
was going to emigrate to Tama County, Iowa. We soon 
found another bass boy, George W. Willfong having bought 
Mr. Chitty 's drum. The band now consisted of two fifers 
and three drummers. We played at Shannon, at different 
times, and some of the young men from town and country 
declared they liked our music better than the brass band. 
In the course of time the band got scattered and emigrated 
to Iowa, all except Mr. Eli Moll. 

A Nezv Church in Spring Valley. 

In the spring of 1884 the Rev. George W. Willfong, for- 
merly of Genesee Grove, Carroll County, 111., started a 
movement for the erection of a new church in Spring Valley, 
Carroll County, 111. A committee was appointed to solicit 
subscriptions from the farmers and from all denominations 
and friends in Cherry Grove Township who might become 
interested in the project, After canvassing the township 
and county considerable funds were promised, enough to 
guarantee the success of the worthy project and the erection 
of the church. At first the intention was that the church 
should be of the United Brethren persuasion. For a number 
of years school exhibitions and revivals were held at the Val- 
ley school house, before the church was completed. In the 
course of time, after the new church was finished, a minister 
was appointed to hold regular services every Sabbath. Ser- 



84 MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

vices were held in the forenoon at Shannon and at about 
2 o'clock P. M. at Spring Valley. Sunday School services 
are now held in the forenoon and preaching in the evening. 

It seems the United Brethren persuasion, which built and 
controlled the edifice, became involved financially and even- 
tually were obliged to sell the church property to the Meth- 
odist Episcopal denomination, which settled the incumbrance 
and soon began to make the required improvements; on the 
buildings. The church is well furnished and finely located, 
four miles northwest of Shannon. The Spring Valley cem- 
etery was located two miles west, adjoining the farm of our 
excellent neighbor and citizen, Samuel Leonard. 



1875 to 1880. 
Centennial Exposition at Philadelphia 

The year 1876, which closed the first hundred years of 
our national existence was looked forward to with great 
hopes, and preparations were made for celebrating it by a 
great exhibition of the industries of all nations at Philadel- 
phia, where a series of splendid buildings were erected in 
Pairmount Park. It was formally opened on May 10th, 1876, 
and was visited by thousands from all parts of the country. 

A Teacher of a Public School in Loran, Stephenson Co., III. 

In the spring of 1876, we made application to the di- 
rectors of Hershey's chool in Loran Township, Stephenson 
County, 111., to teach their school during the summer term. 
The honorable board of directors, Mr. James Barklow, John 
and Mr. Jacob Penticoft', informed me that if I could procure 
a certificate from the county superintendent, Hon. Johnson 
Potter, I could have their school. We said, "All right, gen- 
tlemen, we shall soon consult Mr. Potter and stand the exam- 
ination for a certificate." 

We soon visited Mr. Johnson Potter, who then made his 
home at Davis, Stephenson County. He informed me when 
the examination would take place at the Court House in the 
city of Freeport, Illinois. I doubted myself whether I would 
be qualified to stand the examination and get the certificate, 
but the superintendent told his intimate friends and farmers 



MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 85 

that I was capable and qualified for teaching common 
schools. The great statesman, James A. Garfield, when a 
teacher once remarked, that those young men in his school 
who doubted their ability to master their problems, always 
became the best and most reliable men. We received two 
certificates. 

Having procured and secured a good boarding house at 
the home of Mr. Jacob Penticoff and family, who lived about 
two miles southeast of Hershey's school, we proceeded to 
take charge of the same about the middle of May, 1876. We 
had under our charge twenty-two pupils, but our average 
attendance was ten pupils, boys and girls. The branches 
taught were reading, spelling, arithmetic, penmanship, gram- 
mar and geography. A number of visitors called to see me 
at different times, among whom was the county superin- 
tendent, Hon. Johnson Potter, of Davis, Illinois. Mr. Pot- 
ter was a graduate of Lawrence University at Appleton, 
Wisconsin. He was a veteran of Company I of the 74th 
Illinois Volunteer Infantry during the Civil War. He was 
conceded to be a splendid, good man, kind and obliging to 
all around him and withal a finely educated gentleman, and 
his wife seemed to be a most excellent and exemplary 
lady. 

Of course I was particular in my methods of teaching 
to advance my pupils in the rudiments of a common school 
education as rapidly as possible. When they did not come 
regular and sometimes remained at home, I always doubled 
the recitations and lessons for all others who attended school. 
I had a splendid, good boarding place; Mr. Penticoff and 
his lady were kind and good to me, and I was very sorry 
and much regretted her untimely demise some ten years ago. 
A few years ago Mr. Penticoff sold his farm and he and his 
daughter, Rose, a kind, good girl, now make their home in 
Lanark. High lives in Iowa and Frank, who married Miss 
Holmes, lives in Freeport, 111. 

The Fourth of July in Freeport, and Robinson's Circus. 

In 1876 the Fourth of July came in on Sunday and of 
course either Saturday or Monday had to be observed for 
the patriotic demonstration. Having closed our school for 
the harvest vacation, we decided we would go to Freeport, to 



86 MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

see the big ostrich and wild animals. Well, indeed, the show 
was up-to-date and the clown, John Holland, was away out 
of sight. He was funny, comical, sharp and fine looking ; of 
course, something doing all the time. Ladies and gentlemen 
all around were highly entertained. Two gentlemen came 
into the show wearing new straw hats. "Here," said the 
clown, "comes the Fourth of July." We told our friends 
years afterwards that it was the best practical circus that 
we had ever seen in the west. 

Preeport had no celebration that year, but other sur- 
rounding towns and cities observed the great event. We 
have heard people remark that over ten years ago Freeport 
got up some big celebrations, but the current opinion pre- 
vails that the citizens are becoming very indifferent and 
unconcerned of late years. 

During the fall of 1876 (the Centennial year) a national 
contest for the Presidency between two rival candidates 
was pending. R. B. Hayes of Ohio, with his associate, Wm. 
A. Wheeler, was declared by the Republicans to be elected 
in a scattering contest. His popular vote was 4,033,950. 
Samuel J. Tilden (Democrat) received 4,284,885 votes. The 
disputed vote was settled by an electoral commission, which 
awarded Hayes one hundred and eighty-five electoral votes 
and Mr. Tilden one hundred and eighty-four. 



CHAPTER XIV. 



Illinois State Fair at Freeport, 1877- 1878 — Trip to Peoria and 
Knox Counties — Soldiers Reunion at Aurora, III. 

The Illinois State Agricultural Society resolved to hold 
the next State Fair at Freeport, in September, to continue 
for two years, 1877-1878. Black Republicans, Black Demo- 
crats, Abolitionists, Prohibitionists and Yankees, all seemed 
to unite individually and collectively to make the Fair a 
grand success. Down town everything wore a gala day 
appearance, stores and houses being decorated with flags 
and bunting. The Fair was held at Taylor's Park, East Free- 
port. Complete preparations were made for accommodating 
an immense crowd. All passenger trains entering the city 
were immensely crowded, and vast throngs of people from all 
the adjoining states visited the great Fair. The fine displays 
of blooded stock, educational exhibits and agricultural imple- 
ments were unexcelled by any state. Our most intimate 
friends and relatives all admitted that the State Fair was a 
grand exhibition and entertainment from start to finish. 

One of the most prominent and distinguished men we 
met on the fair grounds was Gen. Richard J. Oglesby of 
Illinois. He served as a Lieutenant in the Mexican War, 
and was in the battles of Vera Cruz and Cerro Gordo. He 
was a State Senator in the Illinois Legislature. On the out- 
break of the Civil War he was appointed Colonel of the 
8th Illinois Infantry, and subsequently promoted to the rank 
of Brigadier General and to that of Major General. He was 



88 MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

one of the leading War Governors of Illinois and was U. S. 
, Senator from 1873 to 1879. He commanded the 16th Army- 
Corps from April, 1863, to May, 1864. 

. Marriage of Ellen A. Straub to Alfred Whit acre. 

In the summer of 1877 my sister Ellen was married to 
Alfred Whitacre, formerly of Muncy Township, Lycoming 
County, Pa. They were married by the Rev. James Tre- 
watha of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Shannon, 111. 
Mr. Whitacre turned his attention to farming in Illinois, 
until about 1881, when in the spring of that year, he decided 
to emigrate to Boone County, Nebraska, and enter a home- 
stead claim in that section of the State. 

He entered a claim of one hundred and sixty acres about 
twenty-five miles northwest of Albion (the county town) on 
which he continued to live for several years. He thinks he 
made a mistake in settling in that locality, as a portion of 
the country in the northern part of the state was of a barren 
and inferoir quality. However, he thought by the culti- 
vation of a good garden and raising vegetation he would 
be able to pull through and have an honest living. 

He had two sons, Henry and John, and one daughter, 
Bessie, all of whom moved to Nebraska with their parents. 
Henry was born on the John G. Heisel farm, in Spring Val- 
ley, in March, 1878, four miles northwest of Shannon. Bes- 
sie was born in Shannon, Jan. 10th, 1880. John was born in 
Dekalb County, Illinois. In the spring of 1883 they re- 
turned to Illinois, and bought a home in Mill Grove, Stephen- 
son County, Illinois, where they continued to> live for some 
three years, after which they sold out their property and 
moved to Shannon. Bessie married William W. Whitmore 
of Shannon. They have one son, Claude, and reside in 
Shannon. They have a fine home of their own, which they 
purchased several years ago. Mr. Whitmore is a carpenter 
and joiner and a good practical workman. 

An Outing and Visit to Peoria and Knox Counties. 

During the second year of the Illinois State Fair at Free- 
port, we were visiting with our Uncle and Aunt Mrs. Hester 
J. and John B. Adlum, who lived about three miles north- 
east of French Grove, Peoria County, Illinois. We took the 



MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 89 

train at Shannon and run to Rock Island at which latter 
city we changed cars on the Peoria & Rock Island Railroad 
for Wyoming Junction, on the Buda & Rushville branch of 
the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy R. R. We then passed 
through to Brimfield, Peoria County. We then had six 
miles northwest to go to our uncle's farm and home. 

It was eleven years since I had seen my uncle and aunt. 
When he came west and settled in Peoria County, he bought 
eighty acres of fine land. The property had on it pretty 
good fair buildings, house and barn. The county was a good 
one, great depth of soil and highly productive. The county 
was considered one of the great hay and corn belts of Illi- 
nois. Well, we had an interesting visit and a jolly good 
time. Occasionally we would mount a good horse, ride to 
French Grove and get my uncle's mail. Monica was six 
miles east and Elmwood about twelve miles southwest. My 
aunt had a cousin in Brimfield, Mr. John Brisbin, who had a 
good violin which he loaned me during the winter. My 
uncle and aunt for pastime would engage in a game of 
cards and of course I was obliged to keep up an expression 
and entertain them with a little music alder while. A young 
lady, Miss Kate Montgomery and Mr. Wm. Brooks lived 
with them during the winter. They were good company, 
and in a few years were married and engaged in farming 
in Peoria Coutny. 

When spring came we worked around the country on 
the farm, both by the day and month. Finally we branched 
off and went through the haying and harvest season in 
south of Galva, Henry County. There was a settlement 
about seven miles southwest of Galva, known as the Collin- 
son Settlement. They were nearly all rich, fine horses, kind 
and good people, and pretty girls. Well, we got acquainted 
in the neighborhood with some of the Illinois veterans and 
we thought we might just as well settle down and make 
ourselves at home. 

In the fall of the year we saw in the papers that a big 
soldiers' re-union would be held at Amboy in Lee County, 
Illinois. We thought as the time was set for the meeting 
to come off after harvest, we would light in on the town 
and see the demonstration. A fine band from Downers 
Grove and the Dixon Cornet Band were in attendance, dis- 
coursing some patriotic music for the people and ex-soldiers. 



90 MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

A very interesting sham battle was fought, ail of which 
elicited the applause of the visitors. Amboy was surely 
in holiday attire and her visitors were highly entertained. 
Gen. John A. Logan was in attendance and made a very 
able and patriotic address. He seemed to be the hero of 
the hour, and was royally welcomed by the veterans and 
Grand Army of the Republic. The re-union lasted three 
days, and was an all around decided success. 

We remained about two days and then returned home to 
Altoona, Knox County, Illinois. 

After we passed out of Peoria County into Knox, we 
looked around for a job of haying. We met an English 
gentleman by the name of Charles Dudley. He was exchang- 
ing work with a Scotch gentleman by the name of Gilbert 
McKee. Mr. Dudley only had about one day's haying. He 
made me a liberal offer to help him wind up his hay crop, 
which I accepted on the spot, until harvest came on. From 
Mr. Dudley's we went to Mr. McKee 's, and finished up his 
hay crop. McKee had a job of tiling on hand for which he 
needed another man to assist him in the construction of the 
drainage. Ere long harvest came on and Mr. Simeon Col- 
linson wanted more men to help him shock up his grain. 
He hired two or three extra men during harvest. He had 
one of his cousins, Samuel Graham, from Indiana, working 
for him by the month. With Philip Gibbs, one of his neigh- 
bors, he had a full set of shockers. After harvest Mr. Col- 
linson had some hay to put up, for which job he hired an- 
other good man, Joseph Gibbs, a brother to Philip. Joseph 
Gibbs was loading on the wagon. One of the pitchers threw 
onto the hay wagon a big black snake, about six feet long. 
Joe thrust his fork into him and slammed him down onto the 
ground, where the pitchers soon killed him on the spot. 

After haying and harvesting, the threshing season came 
on. In order to get hands all around, farmers exchanged 
work with one another. The weather came in intensely 
hot and one day four or five men took sick, prostrated with 
the heat. The machine was compelled to stop running for 
several hours. The women scolded the threshers, said it 
was too hot to thresh. 

In the course of time the threshing season was com- 
pleted and the farmers made happy from the facts that 
they were blessed with good crops of everything oh the 



MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 91 

farm. The ladies and children stepped into their fine bug- 
gies and visited their friends and relatives. The young 
ladies sounded their organs and pianos, and when they 
were weary of practicing they were good girls and on the 
Sabbath attended the village church. 

Our next employment was to help Philip Gibbs husk out 
his corn crop. Mr. Gibbs had good corn that season ; indeed 
there was excellent crops in the whole county. In a few 
days we were notified that Mr. James McGann, who lived 
about six miles east of Altoona, Knox County, wanted a 
reliable man to work for him during the fall. We called to 
see him, and decided to live with him during the fall and 
winter 1878-1879. His wife was an interesting daughter of 
the venerable Simeon Collinson, who was one of the wealth- 
iest farmers in Knox County. Our work consisted in cut- 
ting and sawing stove wood, and attending to and feeding 
hogs and cattle. Here I had one of the best places I ever 
lived. 

Mr. McGann *s brotlier-in-law (Henry Collinson) owned 
the farm on which he lived, 160 acres. The farm was four 
miles north of Victoria and seven miles southwest of Galva, 
Henry Co., Illinois. 

The winter (if we recollect correctly) was open and mild, 
though we had some very good sleighing occasionally. In 
the spring 1879, Mr. McGann made me a very liberal offer to 
work for him for five months, or after harvest. I accepted 
his terms, and went to work. Our first work was seeding 
and getting ready for corn planting. After we had finished 
seeding and planting corn, a terrible drouth prevailed, which 
continued for over a month. 

A Farmer in Knox County, III. — A Telegram from Home. 

Owing to the unexpected drouth, McGann declared he 
would keep out of the cornfield. He thought ploughing corn 
during a drouth would do no good, but our opinion is that 
corn should be cultivated, even in dry weather, as the plow- 
ing kills the weeds and is a great help to the growth of the 
corn crop. Well, some cultivated their corn and moved 
right along, and in the course of time the weather indicated 
rain, and indeed, when it came it was thankfully received 
and the farmers were surely relieved. After fine refreshing 



92 MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

showers, the corn began to brighten up and changed its 
color to a dark green, and by the middle of September the 
opinion prevailed that we should have a booming crop. Oats, 
wheat, rye and potatoes were all a good fair yield. 

On the 14th of July, we received a telegram from Shan- 
non that our dear mother was not expected to live. The 
dispatch was delivered to me by a couple of gentlemen from 
Altoona. I replied to the telegram that if mother was any 
better would rather not come. The distance, via Rock Island 
and Galva, was about one hundred and fifty miles, sothwest. 
We received a second dispatch, which read, "Your mother 
is dead, come home immediately." We took the first train 
at Altoona, on the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy R. R., for 
Galva, at which latter place we changed cars onto the Peoria 
& Rock Island R. R., arriving home eight hours after the 
funeral. The telegram should have been sent about two 
days sooner. Mother had been sick for a couple of years. She 
was up and around and frequently recovered. She con- 
tracted a sudden stroke of appoplexy from which recovery 
seemed to be impossible. She had a large circle of intimate 
friends in Pennsylvania and Illinois, all of whom greatly 
regreted her sudden demise. 

Great Soldiers' Reunion at Aurora, Illinois. 

The second annual encampment of the Soldiers' Reunion 
Association of the Northwest commenced at Aurora, Kane 
County, Illinois, August 20, 21 and 22, 1879, and held three 
days. 

The following was the official program for the three 
days: 

Wednesday, Aug. 20th, morning— Reports, organization 
of camp, equipment of companies and assignment of quart- 
ers, 1 P. M. dinner, 2 P. M. national salute, 3 P. M. company 
and battalion drill, 6 o'clock P. M. dress parade. 

Thursday, Aug. 21st, sunrise — Morning gun, 5 A. M. 
reveille, 6 A. M. breakfast call, 7 A. M. sick call, 8 A. M. 
guard mount, 8:30 A. M. organization of camp and com- 
panies perfected, 9 A. M. rifle shooting for veteran organiza- 
tion, 9:30 A. M. company and battalion drill, 10:30 A. M. 
address of welcome by Gov. Shelby M. Cullom and response 
by Hon. John C. Sherwin, member of Congress, 12 :30 P. M. 



MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 93 

dinner, 1 P. M. national salute, 2 P. M. competitive drills for 
prizes of silk flags by veteran and malitia organizations 
(veterans not restricted as to tactics, militia restricted to 
Upton's tactics), 3 P. M. address to soldiers and sailors by 
Major Gen. John A. Logan, 4 P. M. skirmish fighting and 
artillery and batallion drill, 5 P. M. our ten exhibition drill, 
6 P. M. dress parade. 

Friday, Aug 22d, sunrise — Morning gun, 5 A. M. reveille, 
6 A. M. breakfast call, 7 A. M. sick call, 8 A. M. guard 
mount, 9 A. M. rifle shooting by rifle clubs and others, 10 
A. M. grand review of all veterans (led by Robert Henry 
Hendershot, the "Drummer Boy of the Rappahannock," 
and Fife Major Coolidge) and malitia lead by Gov. Cullom 
and staff, Lieut. Gen. Sheridan and staff and other promi- 
nent Military men, in front of the amphitheatres; 12:30 P. 
M. dinner, 2 P. M. speaking from grand stand, by Generals 
Oglesby, Farnsworth, Hurlbut, Beveridge, Gen. Edw. Bragg 
and others, 4 o'clock P. M. grand sham battle and capture of 
Confederate Fort Wade ; Commander of Union forces, Gen. 
O. L. Mann; Commander of Confederate troops, Gen. T. J. 
Henderson; Commander of Veteran Brigade, Gen. H. Hil- 
liard ; Commander G. A. R., Col. E. D. Swain ; Commander of 
Illinois National Guard, Gen. J. T. Torrence ; Camp Richard 
Yates, Gen. S. B. Shearer. 

Everything was prepared for the soldiers on a grand 
scale. Beside numerous private eating houses and stands, 
the grand mess hall held 2,000 at one sitting. Here arrange- 
ments were made to cook fifty bushels of potatoes at one 
time, twenty barrels of coffee and ten barrels of tea, every 
twenty minutes, thirty bushels of beans at one time, and 
everything else on the same grand scale. For the soldiers' 
mess hall, 500 bushels of potatoes, 90 beefs, 150 bushes of 
beans, 10 barrels of pickels and bread by the car load, were 
on hand. Meals being furnished for the boys in blue, for 
three days, for seventy-five cents. 

Down town everything wore a gala day appearance, 
stores and houses being decorated with flags and bunting, 
while in the business portion a dozen arches, trimmed with 
evergreens and bearing mottoes and welcomes, spanned the 
streets and bridges. 

The reunion was held on the fair grounds, about one and 
one-half miles south of the city, in a beautiful natural 



94 MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

grove, and was well supplied with water from an artesian 
well. Complete preparations were made for accommodating 
an immense crowd. It was reported that 80,000 people at- 
tended on Friday, the last day, and probably 40,000 soldiers, 
including the National Guards, during the three days. The 
weather was fine, nights warm, and a pleasant refreshing 
breeze all the time. 

The distinguished guests attending the reunion were, 
Lieut. Gen. Sheridan, his lady and staff, Mrs. Col. Grant, 
Gen. Logan, Gen. Oglesby, Gov. Cullom, Gen. Bragg, Gen. 
Farnsworth, Gen. Torrence, Gen. Strong, Gen. Harrison, 
Gen. Henderson, Robert Henry Hendershot, and Old Abe, of 
the 8th Wisconsin Infantry, (the Wisconsin War Eagle). 

Quite a number of organized veteran companies attended 
the reunion. Probably about two hundred different regi- 
ments from different States were represented. 

Every soldier was requested to register his name, giving 
company and regiment. 

William Young, a triple hero, from Decatur, Illinois, also 
attended the reunion. That gentleman informed us that he 
would be eighty years of age in March, 1880. Mr. Young 
was in the war of 1812, the Mexican War and the late Civil 
War. He was escorted to headquarters where he was 
viewed with admiration and astonishment by visitors and 
everybody. 

Lieut. Gen. Philip H. Sheridan arrived on the grounds at 
about two o'clock P. M. on Friday, accompanied by his 
wife and Col. Fred Grant and lady. He was highly honored 
by a national salute from a Joliet battery of sixteen guns. 

Old Abe, the War Eagle, was a wonder. His keeper and 
protector, Marks Smith, who lost a leg at the battle of the 
Wilderness, informed us that he was about eighteen years 
of age, and the survivor of many battles in which his regi- 
ment was engaged and was shot and crippled several times. 
He is on exhibition at the State War Museum at Madison, 
Wisconsin, where he died a number of years ago. 



CHAPTER XV. 



From the Farm to Lombard University, Galesburg — Enumera- 
tor on Tenth U. S. Census — On the Jury. 



On our return home to Knox County, we took sick with 
summer complaint, or dysentery. We were seized with 
violent pains while on the cars. Of course we had no 
medicine and could get none until we reached Mendota, at 
the crossing of the Illinois Central and Chicago, Burlington 
& Quincy R. R. But the study of chemistry and medical 
books for a couple of years, teaches a person and imparts to 
him a knowledge of plain home common sense. We had no 
time to consult a doctor, could hardly walk, but we had 
about five minutes when the train stopped, to drink a glass 
of good brandy. In less than ten minutes the pain and dis- 
tress were over. But we were sick after we got home for 
nearly a week. 

We remained with Mr. McGann, on the farm, until about 
about the first of September. Having considerable loose 
change coming after working during the summer season, we 
finally thought we might just as well attend college up to 
near the holidays. Accordingly we packed our trunk and 
went to Altoona, which town is sixteen miles north of 
Galesburg on the C. B and Quincy R. R. I think I had a 
few standard school books with me, which I had brought 
from home. I know we had Lossing's Centennial His- 
tory of the United States. Well, we boarded the train and 



96 MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

run into the City of Galesburg. After the college closed at 
about four o'clock we consulted the Rev. Nehemiah White, 
President of the University, and Prof. Parker, teacher of 
Latin. They asked me what course of studies I desired to 
take up. I informed them that I wanted to study arithme- 
tic, grammar, reading, elocution and rhetoric. They told me 
to go to the book store and get Green's Grammar, Robinson's 
Progressive Higher Arithmetic and Quackenbos' Composi- 
tion and Rhetoric. I purchased the above books at Knowles' 
book store. 

Mr. McGann had a brother in Galesburg, William Mc- 
Gann., Esq, who had graduated at Lombard in the law de- 
partment. He advised me to attend that institution, as it 
was a fine college and not crowded so much as was Knox 
College. I at first secured a good boarding place about one 
mile west of the college. I roomed with two other students, 
one of whom was studying for the medical profession, but 
in the course of a month I became acquainted with a young 
student by the name of John H. Miles, who proposed to me 
that we rent a room together and board ourselves. There 
was a good substantial brick building between the Chicago, 
Burlington & Quincy R. R. and the college, one-half mile 
southwest, with cellar and two stories high. Well, Mr. Miles 
and myself rented a good room in the second story. Our 
board and rent cost us about one dollar and a half each a 
week. We had a book stand and a good little stove and a 
good bed. Mr. Mile's parents lived at Henderson, seven 
miles northwest of the city. On Friday evenings at the 
close of school he generally went home over Sunday, return- 
ing to school Sunday evenings. He always returned with a 
few extra refreshments, such as good butter, cake and good 
pie. 

After T had supper I was in the habit of walking to 
town awhile for exercise and provisions. The students had 
told Mr. Miles and I to watch out, as it had been reported 
that our brick boarding house was spooked occasionally. 
On Saturday evening I came home from town and thought 
I would investigate the cellar. It was probably between 
9 and 10 o'clock. I first went into the cellar, then examined 
the rooms. I heard nothing nor saw nothing. All was 
nuiet on the Potomac. The students called to see me on 
Sunday afternoons. 



MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 97 

Lombard University is located about one mile east by 
south, of the heart of Galesburg. The building is three 
stories in height and is said to occupy the highest point in 
the city. The University was organized in 1851 at Gales- 
burg. When we attended, the college was controlled by the 
Universalists. It is now undenominational (independent). 

President or Chairman of Faculty, Lewis B. Fisher, D. D. 
Number of instructors in 1897, eighteen ; number of students, 
one hundred and fifty-six; number of volumes in library, 
8,000. President of College and Faculty and roster of in- 
structors in 1879 : Rev. Nehemiah White, D. D., Prof. John 
V. W. Standish, Prof. Parker, Prof Theodore Stevens, chem- 
istry and German ; Miss Mary J. Clay comb, mathematics and 
rhetoric; Miss M. J. Boyle, instructor of music. 

The city of Galesburg is the county seat of Knox County, 
Illinois, and contains about It is one of the di- 
visions of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy R. R., one hun- 
dred and sixty-four miles southwest of Chicago, and forty- 
three miles east of Burlington, Iowa, and the Mississippi 
River. The place is frequently called the College City, 
doubtless deriving its name from its first-class high schools 
and colleges. The city is also the seat of Knox College, one 
of the first-class and most flourishing institutions in the 
state. 

We have frequently read in books and newspapers that 
history repeats itself, and right here we shall prove it. 
When we were at Lombard College in 1879, Col. William J. 
Bryan was attending Illinois College at Jacksonville. The 
opinion now prevails that it is more than admiration the 
city gives Mr. Bryan. He is remembered in Jacksonville 
with an ardor of personal loyalty and affection such as few 
men ever receive. 



From Lombard College to the Farm Again. 

After the fall term of three months at the college, we 
returned to the farm again, six miles east of Altona and 
four miles north of Victoria, James McGann had about 
twenty-five acres of good corn to husk and crib. Shucking 
or picking corn gives a man a good appetite, and is an ex- 
cellent tonic for exercising and strengthening the muscular 



98 MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

system. We have seen the time when we could pick two 
good loads, but that time is passed. 

Now, we wish to advise young men (corn pickers) to 
remain out of the corn field when a white frost comes. Mr. 
Fred Kramer used to tell the boys in Spring Valley a good 
story of a young man and an Irish gentleman, both of whom 
hitched up a team in south of Shannon and drove into the 
corn field one white, frosty morning. A white frost is worse 
than two or three inches of snow on the corn. Mr. Kramer 
said the two men had husked quite a distance into the corn, 
when soon their gloves got wet and hands cold. The Irish 
gentleman picked a big ear and threw it with force against 
the front end of the wagon, "Here, Jimmy," says he, "take 
home the horses, I'll perish meself for no man." 

When the weather was good we remained in the corn 
field, early and late, and finished husking McGann's corn 
crop about the middle of November. We remained with the 
Scotchman a short time doing chores for our board. One 
day I said, "James, you will please take me to Galva. I 
think I shall go home to Carroll County and remain during 
the winter." He said, "You can live right here if you wish, 
instead of going home." 

President R. B. Hayes held the government reins at that 
time, and I had formed the idea that I would make applica- 
tion for a position on the tenth U. S. census, about the be- 
ginning of January, 1880. 



1880 to 1885. 
Enumerator on Tenth U. S. Census, Cherry Grove Township. 

We left Galva, Illinois, a few days before Thanksgiving 
Day, 1879, and came to Shannon over the Peoria & Rock 
Island, and Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul R. R.. We found 
our family and all neighbors enjoying their usual health and 
we know of nothing occurring during the holidays of any 
consequence. After the holidays we consulted the Hon. 
David H. Sunderland, in regard to the appointment of census 
enumerators. Mr. Sunderland acknowledged the receipt of 
our letter and informed us that no encouragement could be 
given us just now. 



MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 99 

The matter rested until spring. On the approach of 
spring we went to Freeport and had an interview with Mr. 
Sunderland in person. My name was soon sent to Gen. 
Francis Walker at Washington, D. C, who had been ap- 
pointed General Superintendent of the Tenth U. S. Census. 
On or about the first of May a commission was sent us, in- 
forming us that we had been appointed an enumerator for 
the Township of Cherry Grove, Carroll County, Illinois. 
The commission was signed by the supervisor and was ap- 
proved by the superintendent, authorizing and empowering 
him to execute and fulfill the duties of an enumerator in 
accordance with law, and setting forth the boundaries of the 
subdivision within which such duties were to be performed 
by him. The supervisor's district, Second Illinois, was com- 
posed of twelve counties in Northern Illinois. Having been 
supplied by the supervisor with complete outfit, report cards, 
schedules, etc., we proceeded to take the census of Cherry 
Grove Township, commencing on the first day of June, 1880. 

When we commenced work on the census we traveled on 
foot over our territory, for the simple reason that we could 
shorten the distance and save expenses. Our board and 
lodging cost us from twenty-five to fifty cents a night. We 
started out on Monday morning and worked ten hours per 
day until Saturday evening, when we returned home, to* re- 
main over Sunday. The work was: to be completed during 
the month of June. The U. S. census is taken every decade 
or ten years. 

Comrade William Corry of Co. D, 55th N". Y. Infantry, 
was appointed enumerator for Shannon in 1880, and Com- 
rade Reuben Connelly was appointed in 1890. They were 
both members of Holden Putnam Post No. 646, G. A. R., 
Department of Illinois. Comrade Connelly died at Berwick, 
Columbia County, Pa., several years ago. 

When the work was finished near the beginning of July, 
the entire outfit, reports and portfolio, were sent to the 
supervisor, Hon. David H. Sunderland, at Freeport, to be 
investigated by him, and then forwarded to Washington 
to the general superintendent, Gen. Francis Walker. 

Some time during September we received a government 
draft for $54.72 for our services on tenth census. For his 
services the supervisor received $500.00 and the superintend- 
ent for services and compensation $5,000.00. 



ioo MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

The number of inhabitants of Cherry Grove Township 
(my own estimation) was 1,105, government count at Wash- 
ington, 1,101; Shannon, 714; Milledgeville, 446; Lanark, 
1,198; Mt. Carroll, 1,836; Savanna,, 1,000; Carroll County, 
16,976. The state contained in 1880 3,077,871 inhabitants. 



On the Jury at Mount Carroll, September, 1881. 

In October, 1881, we were served with summons by 
George P. Sutton, Sheriff of Carroll County 111., to appear 
at the County Court House in Mt. Carroll, at the September 
term, to serve on the petit jury. William Payne and Martin 
Willfong were also notified to appear at the same time and 
place. 

At that time the Hon. John V. Eustace was Judge of our 
Judicial Circuit. A criminal suit was brought into court, 
which was continued for a couple of days. The petit jury 
-disposed of the case, a fine was imposed on the defendant, 
and other trials on the docket were brought into court. 
A number of indictments were presented by the Grand Jury. 

About the middle of the week the sad intelligence was 
conveyed to the county hub, Mt. Carroll, that President 
James A. Garfield had died at Elberan, New Jersey, on 
September 19th. Upon receipt of the sad news, Judge 
Eustace immediately adjourned court until after the funeral, 
which took place at Cleveland, Ohio. In conversation with 
the Judge, our Congressman, the late lamented Hon. R. M. 
A. Hawk, of Mt. Carroll, told Judge Eustace that he was 
going to attend the funeral at Cleveland. Imposing memo- 
rial services were also held at the same time throughout 
the country. 

Our country lost a distinguished Congressman, great 
statesman and diplomat, who was undoubtedly without a 
peer on the American continent. The lives of Washington, 
Lincoln and Garfield, as examples of industry, tact, persever- 
ance, application, energy, economy, honesty, purity, devotion 
to principle, and triumph over obstacles in a successful ca- 
reer, present a profitable study to the youth and young men 
of this and other nations. Their names will be forever asso- 
ciated with the history of our Republic. 



MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB ior 

Great Floods in Western States, Feb. 3d. — Railroad Exposition 

in Chicago, Opened June iSth. — Two Cent Letter Postage 

Goes into Effect, Oct. 1st, 1883. — ^ New Dwelling 

House Erected on Our Farm by Amos Hemig 

in the Summer of 1884. 

During the winter of 1883-1884 we commenced hauling 
rock and making the required preparations for the erection 
of a new dwelling house on our farm in Spring Valley. The 
proposed plans and dimensions of the building were to be 
for the south wing sixteen by twenty and north wing six- 
teen by twenty-six, with cellar under the entire dwelling. 
The contractor, the late Amos Hemig, employed six men in 
the construction of the house. The entire expenses for 
cellar and the construction of the new home, cost about 
fourteen hundred dollars. The structure will compare favor- 
ably with any building in either town or country and would 
be an ornament to Mount Carroll or Savanna. It is finely lo- 
cated on the southeast corner of section two, contains a dug 
well of excellent water, and surely presents the appearance 
of the ideal country home. 

After the cellar and house were thoroughly cleaned and 
prepared for occupancy, we moved into the new home just 
before the holidays. We had a number of callers and vis- 
itors during the winter. Nothing transpired during the 
holidays of any consequence. Of course we were duty bound 
to keep apples, doughnuts and pumpkin pies from going to 
waste, keep up the fires, read the papers, attend revivals 
occasionally and visit our neighboring towns. A few little 
sociables, parties, and country dances, violin concerts, etc., 
were called up occasionally, all of which were fun and 
amusement for the boys and girls. 

1885 to 1890. 

An Overland Outing and Big Tour Through Illinois, Missouri, 

Kansas and Iowa — Tiller of the Soil and Railroader — 

A Kansas Harvest Hand. 

In the fall of 1886, after the holidays, we concluded we 
would pay another visit to our aunt and uncle, six miles 
west of Monica, and three miles northeast of French Grove. 



102 MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

We boarded the train at Shannon, 111., and went through to 
Rock Island, where we changed cars and took the Peoria 
and Rock Island R. R. for Brimfield, 111. There was five 
families in the vicinity of French Grove who were first and 
second cousins of my mother's and all second cousins of 
mine, so I spent the winter, calling and visiting friends and 
relatives. 

One of my cousins, Miss Ella Oakes, an educated and re- 
fined young lady, formerly of Northumberland County, Pa., 
was married to a Presbyterian minister and settled at Yates 
City, Knox County, 111. She had two smart and educated 
daughters, both of whom were natural born musicians, and 
made a specialty of the piano. Of course the minister, Rev. 
James Smith, was very particular to give his daughters, 
Amy and Nora, a good practical education. 

Mrs. Ella B. Smith had a sister, Sadie Oakes Reed, who 
married James C. Reed, Sept. 8th, 1875. She was also pas- 
sionately fond of music and of course they all highly enter- 
tained my aunt, Mrs. Hester J. Adlum, and myself with the 
best in music and refreshments that the markets afforded. 
Mrs. Sarah Oakes Reed and her sister, Mrs. Ella B. Smith, 
were formerly from White Deer Valley, Union County, Pa. 
Mrs. Sadie Reed died January 21st, 1886, near French Grove, 
HI. Mrs. Ella B. Smith, after the death of her husband, 
continued to reside at Yates City, Illinois. Mrs. Smith's 
mother, Mrs. Rebecca Oakes, passed away near French 
Grove, Illinois. 

Having remained with our uncle and relatives until near 
spring, we formed the idea that we would leave Peoria 
County and work our way on towards Kansas, and if we 
liked the new state, we might probably remain there. After 
passing out of Peoria County into Knox we called to see a 
few of our friends, Fauntleroy and Thomas Rice, both of 
whom had been veteran soldiers from Illinois in the Civil 
War. Comrade Rice owned a good farm about six miles 
southwest of Galva. When I came to his place he was en- 
gaged in making maple syrup. He had living with him a 
young man by the name of George Collinson. As Mr. Rice 
had his farm work to attend to he needed an extra hand to 
supply Mr. Collinson with plenty of good wood to facilitate 
the manufacture of the maple syrup. We remained with 
the ex-soldier about a week or ten days and then went to 



MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 103 

Altona to see a couple of kind friends, William Kirby, an ex- 
soldier, formerly of Kansas, and Henry Collinson, who was 
a brother-in-law of James McGann's. We had a very good 
time visiting the latter two gentlemen a few days, before 
our departure for Kansas. Of course recollections of the 
army service were quite fully discussed. Mr. Kirby had 
formerly been at the Soldiers' Homes at Leavenworth and 
Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Henry Collinson owned the farm on 
which Mr. McGann lived, and was living a retired life in 
Altona, Knox County, 111. His wife was formerly Miss 
Jeanette McKee, a Scotch lady, and sister of Gilbert Mc- 
Kee. About the beginning of May, we went to Galesburg, 
Illinois, remained over night and the next morning pulled 
out via Monmouth for Burlington, Iowa. 

When we arrived at Burlington, we concluded we would 
remain over night and in the morning inquire around, for 
a position in some of the shops, or on the street railway. 
One of the conductors on the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy 
R. R. had told me to go to headquarters in Burlington, that 
was the place to secure employment. One of the head men 
at the round-house rather nattered me and said he thought 

I would make a d d good fireman. Well we looked 

around and called on the street railroad shops, but the street 
cars had a full set of men and it seemed there was no flush 
of work in the city. 

Burlington is the county seat of Des Moines County, 
Iowa, on the west bank of the Father of Waters, and is one 
of the divisions of the C. B. & Q. R. R. The city contained 
in 1880 19,450 inhabitants. In 1900 nearly 24,000 souls, in 
1904 25,300. As most every school boy and girl of ten years 
of age have a geographical knowledge of Burlington, we 
shall pass on to Keokuk. 

Keokuk, Iowa, is finely located on the west bank of the 
Mississippi River, and is the county seat of Lee County, 
and contained in 1904 14,600 people. The city contains 
one of the National cemeteries, and is known as the Gate 
City. But in the language of the stump speaker, "But to 
refer to the subject." 

After leaving Keokuk we crossed the river again and 
went to Camp Point, Adams County, 111. Here two good 
jobs were ready for us, the sawing and splitting up of some 
six cords of fine maple wood. One of the jobs was given 



104 MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A, STRAUB 

me by one of the merchants, Mr. Prank W. Blood, and the 
other one was at the Adams House. 

Camp Point is at the junction of the Wabash, St. Louis 
& Pacific and C. B. & Q. railways, twenty miles east of 
Quincy, 111. We remained in Camp Point probably some 
thirty days. The town contained about 1,100 people, and 
was surrounded by a fine farming country. The Wabash 
railroad from Springfield connected with the C. B. & Q., 
and ran over the latter road, twenty miles, to Quincy, 111. 

About the first of May we boarded the train again and 
ran into Quincy. Here we purchased a ticket over the 
C. B. & Q. for Monroe City, Missouri, forty miles west of 
Quincy. We arrived in the latter nlace about 5 o'clock 
P. M., where we took supper and remained in the town until 
about 8 o'clock. Monroe City, Monroe County, Mo., con- 
tained in 1880 about 1,000 people. 

At about 9 o'clock we proceeded to the depot of the 
Missouri, Kansas & Texas R. R. and took the train for 
Paris, Mo. When we came to this town a band was giving 
the citizens some good and lively music. The first morning 
train pulled into town about 8:00 A. M. The agent at the 
station told the engineer to give us a little war-whoop this 
morning. The engineer pulled the throttle and imitated an 
Indian chief nearly to perfection. Paris is the county seat of 
Monroe County, Mo., and contained in 1880 nearly 1,250 
inhabitants. 

At Paris we boarded the train for Moberly, Mo., Ran- 
dolph County, which contained in 1880 7,800 people. Mo- 
berly is an important railroad center on the St. Louis, Kan- 
sas City & North, Wabash, St. Louis. & Pacific and Missouri, 
Kansas & Texas railroads. Here we secured a position in 
the railroad yards of the M. K. & T. The surrounding coun- 
try is very level and flat as a floor, but the city is well built 
and commands a good trade. 

Before we left Moberly we packed our valise and left it 
at our boarding house, giving instructions to one of the 
women to hold it until we should order it, after we arrived 
in Kansas. We now formed the idea, in order to avoid the 
extreme heat through the day time, that we would travel 
on foot, anyhow as far as Sedalia. We made about ten or 
twelve miles before dark, to the first town, Higbee, Ran- 
dolph County, where the Chicago & Alton crosses the M. K. 



MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 105 

& T. At the latter town we took supper and then proceeded 
on our way towards the Missouri River, passing through the 
villages of Burtan, Fayette and Franklin, reaching Boon- 
ville, Cooper County, on the Missouri River, at about dark. 
Here we boarded the ferry-boat and crossed the river to 
the city. 

Boonvile contained in 1904, estimated, 4,377 people. A 
battle was fought at this town in 1861 between the union 
forces under the gallant Gen. Lyon and the Confederates 
under Gen. Marmaduke, in which the latter was routed and 
defeated. Indeed we were very tired that night, but after 
supper we put up or secured a good bed at the Washington 
House, and slept as sound as a rock. A short time before 
bed time a fearful hail storm set in from the northwest, 
which cooled off the air and the next day was fine weather. 

We left Boonville about 9 o'clock A. M. and reached 
Pilot Grove, the next town, about 4 o'clock P. M. Here was 
a nice little town and good farming country and we con- 
cluded we would remain over Sunday and get a job on a 
farm. On Monday we consulted a gentleman who lived near 
town and he told me he needed a man to plow his corn near 
town. His corn was coming on fine, but needed cultivation. 
He had a little pony plow which was no account in the corn- 
field. We plowed the man's corn, but with the pony plow 
it was impossible to make good work. 

At the end of two weeks we took leave of Pilot Grove 
and proceeded on our way for Kansas. One Sunday evening 
we attended services at the colored church. The first town 
reached was Pleasant Green, next Clifton and Beaman. At 
the latter village we took the regular train for Sedalia. 
Before we reached Beaman we passed a watering station, 
known as Devil's Glen. The station was surrounded by a 
dense woods or forest. It was a dismal looking station. 
Some years after our return to Illinois we read an account 
in some paper, of a passenger train being held up after 
night and robbed while taking on water. 

We reached Sedalia, the county seat of Pettus County at 
4 o'clock P. M. The train remained at the depot about one 
hour. The State Fair is held annually at Sedalia, and the 
city was used as a U. S. military station during the Civil 
War. Shops of the Missouri Pacific and the Missouri, Kan- 
sas & Texas railroads are located here, and there are also 



106 MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

iron works, foundries, beef and pork packing establishments, 
a distillery, breweries, flour and woolen mills, and manufac- 
tories of shoes, carriages, overalls, trousers and shirts. Esti- 
mated population in 1906, 15,927. 

We left Sedalia at 5:00 P. M. and before reaching Ne- 
vada City we passed through the following villages and 
towns: Camp Branch, Green Ridge, Windsor, Calhoun, 
Lewis, Clinton, Montrose, Appleton, Rockville, Schell City, 
Walker's, Nevada and Deerfield. We arrived at Port Scott, 
Kansas, at 10 o'clock A. M., Monday, May 24th, 1886, and 
went to a good restaurant in the city. We remained until 
5 :00 P. M., when we boarded the train for Walnut, twenty- 
six miles southwest of Fort Scott. 

One of our sole objects in running down to Walnut was 
to call and see a few particular friends and comrades. Mr. 
Ambrose Bundy and his family lived at the latter place. 
Mr. George Bollinger lived in the vicinity of Porterville, 
also Jacob Brenner and William D. Gemmill. Messrs. Bun- 
dy, Brenner and Gemmill were all in the great Civil War. 

I think it was Saturday, May 24th, when I went to Wal- 
nut, Crawford County, Kansas. We remained over Sunday 
with Mr. Bundy and his family. I was indeed glad to see 
all of these folks. They had all removed from Illinois, 
County of Carroll, to Kansas, over fifteen years ago. Of 
course I found the folks all reasonably well and prospering. 
I was also sure when among my friends that they could find 
me work in a very short time. 



CHAPTER XVI. 



Tour of Missouri, Kansas and Iowa — 1887, Return to 
Illinois —1888, Election of Ha rrison . 

Walnut was a thriving young town and surrounded by a 
line fertile country. The next week Mr. Gemmill happened 
to be down to Walnut and I returned to Porterville with 
him, and called to see my other friends. We first went home 
with Mr. Brenner, who lived near Porterville. He had a 
fine piece of corn, probably some forty acres, which needed 
some cleaning out with the hoes, weeding out, etc. After a 
few days' work with the hoes his corn field began to boom 
and grow rapidly. But his corn was quite clean and did not 
require much cultivation. He owned one hundred and sixty 
acres of good land, was married, and had a fine young 
daughter about fifteen years of age. Mr. Brenner was 
County Commissioner and served one term in the Kansas 
Legislature from Bourbon County. Mr. Brenner has one 
sister living in Shannon, Mrs. Wm. Gemmill. 

We next called to see Mr. George Bollinger and Mr. 
William D. Gemmill, both of whom owned good farms in 
Bourbon County. Mr. Bollinger gave me work for about 
one week, trimming a hedge fence. He lived about one mile 
south of Porterville. 

Soon we were told that a gentleman by the name of Page 
wanted a man to plow corn for him. He lived about one 
mile east of Mr. Bollinger's. We shall have to say to our 
readers that wages were very low in Kansas ; the best hands 
were getting for farm work from ten to fifteen dollars only 



108 MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

per month. But we were in the state, for the present, at 
that time, and were obliged to work for what we could get 
until we could do better. Mr. Page had a good team of 
horses. We hitched them onto the plow and went to work. 
The corn was about six inches high and seemed to be grow- 
ing finely. In a couple of days we experienced something 
we had never observed before, the hot winds coming in 
from the Rocky Mountains. We stopped the team. The 
winds lasted some ten minutes, about half a minute apart. 
The winds were exactly like the old Pennsylvania bake 
ovens, just before the bread was put into the oven. Some 
men claim the winds destroy the entire crops in Kansas and 
Texas. 

On about the first of June we settled with Mr. Page and 
concluded we would leave the state and pass into Iowa, and 
get better wages. We first called to see Mr. Wm. D. Gem- 
mill. Mr. Gemmill's wife was a sister to Edward Trucken- 
miller and Robert, of Shannon, and Charles, of Freeport. 
Mr. Gemmill owned a large farm in Bourbon County. He 
had been on a visit to Illinois several times before he died, 
some three years ago. His friends and relatives were very 
sorry when they received the sad news. 

We bade Mr. Brenner and Mr. Gemmill good-bye and 
started on foot and alone for Lawrence on the Kansas River. 
We passed through the country probably some four miles 
west of Fort Scott, crossed the Marmaton River, passed 
through Union town, Kinkade and into Richmond. 

At the latter town we waited for the regular train and 
purchased a ticket at the Kansas City and Southwestern 
depot for Ottawa. Pulled into the latter city about 7:00 
P. M. and took supper at a good restaurant. We left Ot- 
tawa about 9 o'clock P. M. for Lawrence, arriving at the 
latter city about noon the next day, on Sunday. 

We went directly to a good restaurant on one of the 
Main streets for dinner — we had had no breakfast — and it 
was high time to have dinner. When crossing the street for 
dinner, we were followed by two men. We had a small 
valise with us, in which we carried extra shirts, soap, razor 
and stockings. The men who followed me were both farmers. 
One of the men was Wm. Spurgeon, a farmer, who told me 
he lived six miles west of Lawrence, and was farming a large 
farm. He informed me that the young man with him had a 



MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 109 

crop of wheat in Missouri, which he had to go and harvest 
immediately. Mr. Spurgeon told me he wanted to hire me 
through harvest and stacking. As we were none too flush 
with loose change we made a bargain with him on the spot 
to work for him until after harvest at going wages. Spur- 
geon had two good horses with him, both saddled, on which 
he and his hand had rode to town in the morning. We re- 
mained in Lawrence until about 2 o'clock P. M., when we 
mounted the horses and rode out to the farm. Mr. Spurgeon 
told me that he had rented the land and that the farm was 
owned by a man whose name was Sedgewick. 

We arrived at Mr. Sedgewick 's big farm about three 
o'clock P. M. One of Spurgeon 's neighbors called to see 
him and they both seemed to be discussing the agricultural 
situation at length. Having put the horses in the stable, we 
thought in the language of the soldier, we might just as 
well enjoy the quiet walk of life. Having been a Rough 
Rider during the Civil War, we generally made ourselves 
at home wherever we lived. I found a good place to lie 
down and rest myself until chore time. Of course the war 
being over there was no danger of the horses being captured 
by the Confederates. 

Monday morning we sharpened the hoes. Sedgewick and 
myself went into the big corn-field, our calculation was to 
pull up and destroy everything but the corn. Well, indeed, 
we made a good job of it. The corn was clean and nothing 
else to be seen, and by the first of June both the weather 
and the corn were booming. 

Our next job was the oats harvest, which Mr. Sedgewick, 
myself and Mr. Spurgeon shocked up in good shape. He 
had no wheat, rye or barley out. Oats was a good crop. 
Some parts of Kansas was well adapted to the growth of 
nearly all kinds of grain and there was cherries and apples 
in abundance. The surface of the country was rolling and 
some parts of the country moderately level. There was a 
section of country just north of Fort Scott, extending east 
into Missouri and west into Kansas, composed of a strata of 
solid rock. 

Our next job was stacking the oats, and we exchanged 
work with one of our nearest neighbors, who had a fine 
orchard of apple trees. After stacking was over we con- 
cluded to leave for Southwestern Iowa. 



no MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

We took leave of our friends, Mr. Spurgeon, Mr. Sedge- 
wick and family, I think the tenth of July. Mrs. Sedgewick 
made me a present of a nice handkerchief before I started 
for Lawrence. William Spurgeon advised me to speak a 
good word in praise of their adopted State, Kansas. We 
promised to do so. 

We left the farm about eight o'clock A. M. in the morn- 
ing, arrived in Lawrence about ten o'clock A. M. in the 
forenoon. We proceeded to the Union Pacific depot, where 
we purchased a ticket for Leavenworth, Kansas 

Lawrence City is the county seat of Douglas County, 
Kansas, 41 miles southwest of Kansas City, built on both 
sides of the Kansas River. The city is well laid out, with 
wide, well paved streets, and has many attractive buildings. 
It is the seat of the Kansas State University. 

On August 21st, 1863, a body of Confederate raiders 
under Quantrell, almost destroyed the town, and killed 123 
of its citizens. Estimated population in 1906, 12,123, U. S. 
census report 1900, 10,862. 

We reached the city of Leavenworth probably about 
eleven o'clock A. M. We were bound for Hamburg, Iowa, 
and therefore, made no extended sojourn in the city. 
Leavenworth is the county seat of Leavenworth County, 
Kansas, twenty-six miles northwest of Kansas City on the 
Missouri River. It contains the State and United States 
penitentiaries, the Soldiers' Home for disabled volunteer 
soldiers and sailors, with a membership of 3,700. The city 
is also the location of Fort Leavenworth, the last one of the 
most important military posts of the west. It contains a 
noted infantry and cavalry school and a National cemetery, 
in which are over 3,000 graves and nearly 1,500 unknown 
dead. Estimated population in 1905, 20,900. 

On our arrival in the city we went dirctly to the river 
and boarded a steamer for East Leavenworth, across the 
river. When we reached the depot at East Leavenworth 
we were obliged to lay over there until the arrival of our 
train from Kansas City, which pulled in about five o'clock 
P. M. 

We boarded the Kansas City, Council Bluffs and St. 
Joseph R. R. for Hamburg, Fremont County. Iowa. On 
reaching St. Joseph we were delayed again until about 12 :30 
A. M. In the course of time our train pulled into the depot 



MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB in 

behind time. We had our ticket in our pocket and one of the 
police inquired where I was going, I told him I was going 
to Council Bluffs. In about a half hour he asked me again 
where I was bound for; had he inquired the third time I 
would have told him it was none of his business where I 
was going. 

It has been twenty-two years since I have been in St. 
Joseph. The conductor notified me before we pulled into 
the city that I would have to change cars at St. Joseph. 
Our train reached Hamburg about daylight the next morn- 
ing, Sunday. We went up town soon for breakfast. After 
breakfast was over we stepped out of the restaurant on the 
sidewalk pavement and noticed a sign at the next door which 
read, John Melchoir, Boot and Shoemaker. Of course, we 
knew before that Mr. Melchor was in business in Hamburg, 
Iowa. In about an hour he came down to the shop. He 
remembered me. We then shook hands and talked of old 
time friends in and around Shannon, Illinois. After dinner 
Melchoir came down to the shop again dressed up like the 
Mayor of a big town, had on a fine white vest from which a 
nice watch chain swung to and froe in the summer breeze. 
Now, he said, Mr. Straub, we shall take a stroll around town 
and see the sights of Hamburg and vicinity. 

We visited different points of interest in and around the 
town until about four o'clock P. M. On the northwest edge 
of the town was a high bluff from the top of which a fine 
view of the Missouri River and surrounding country was 
afforded. At about three o'clock we went on top of the 
bluff, we could see Nebraska City on the Missouri River, 
ten miles west. It was claimed by the citizens of Hamburg 
that Prospect Hill afforded a fine view of the surrounding 
country and the Missouri River from thirty-five to forty 
miles north and south. Hamburg contains two railroads, 
at the junction of the Red Oak and Nebraska City branch of 
the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy and on the Kansas City, 
Council Bluffs & St. Joseph. It contained 2,000 inhabitants 
at the census of 1900. 

On Monday, July 12th, we left Hamburg for Shenandoah, 
Page County, Iowa, which town was twenty miles east of 
Hamburg on the C. B. and Q. R. R. Here is one of the 
garden spots of Southwestern Iowa. After we arrived at 
Shenandoah, we were told of a farmer who wanted hands to 



U2 MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

help him put up his harvest. He lived some four miles east 
of town. We were told where he lived and went directly 
to his farm. The next day we were in the harvest from start 
to finish. I have forgotten his name. We were paid the 
regular going wages then prevailing in the country. We 
helped another farmer in the vicinity afterwards to wind up 
his crop. 

After harvest we met a, young man named John Dins- 
more, who wanted me to work for him by the month at 
twenty dollars per month. He exchanged work with a neigh- 
bor, George Wood, formerly of Rockford, Illinois. After 
we had finished harvesting, a terrible drouth came on, 
which lasted probably a month or more. Mr. Dinsmore 
wanted his plowing done, but the work was like chasing 
rabbits up hill in a drouth. 

We formed the idea that if it was too dry to plow we 
would pass into Montgomery County and call to see an inti- 
mate friend and formerly a veteran in the Civil War, Mr. 
James H. Hart, formerly of Stephenson County, Illinois. Mr. 
Hart lived thirteen miles northeast of Red Oak at that time 
and owned two big farms in Montgomery County. When 
we came to Red Oak we met Mr. Hart and lady in town and 
they invited me to go home with them. It was nearly dark 
till we got to his place. He had some hay to put up yet, on 
which job we gave him a lift, a second crop, I think, and 
very good. While I was at Mr. Hart's place, Mr. Askey, 
who married a sister of Clark Byington, came over, he used 
to live at Ridoff, Illinois. But from the fact that it had been 
some six months since we left that state, I could not give 
them much late news from their old homes. Mr. Hart and 
his lady used to be neighbors of ours, and lived near Lost 
Creek, Loran Township, about one-half mile south of Clark 
Byington 's farm. Of course, they were very sociable and 
good and kind neighbors. Their first child and daughter 
Alice, died in Montgomery County, Iowa, after they re- 
moved from Illinois. Mr. Hart had a family of eight chil- 
dren when I visited him in Iowa, six girls and two boys. 

In consequence of the drouth in the southwestern section 
of the State, Mr. Hart advised us to go to Omaha, Nebraska. 
The papers reported a big building boom in the city and any 
amount of men were required for all kinds of work all over 
the citv. Mrs. Hart was a first-class butter maker and sold 



MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 113 

her butter in Red Oak at a good price. When I decided to 
leave for Omaha, Mrs. Hart and her eldest daughter Cora, 
had to market their butter in Red Oak. I went with them to 
town, deciding to proceed immediately to Omaha. I de- 
cided to go via Atlantic, the county seat of Cass County, 
Iowa. The distance between Red Oak and Atlantic was, by 
railroad, just 33 miles. Atlantic was on the main line of the 
Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific railroad, 63 miles from 
Omaha. Right here we wish to inform our dear readers that 
Atlantic is one of the finest and best built cities in the state 
of Iowa. It contains a $50,000 court house, and is sur- 
rounded by a highly fertile and beautiful country. 

We reached Council Bluffs about nine o'clock in the 
morning, along about the 1st of September, 1886. We 
remained in the city until after dinner, when we proceeded 
to the Union Pacific depot, about one mile from the river, 
and crossed the Missouri River over to Omaha, Nebraska. 
We went up Tenth Street and then moved on into Farnam. 
From Farnam Street we went north and struck Twentieth 
Street, on which we found a large gang of men and teams 
working and grading on a new cable line of street railway, 
of two miles in length. The foreman, whose name I have for- 
gotten was from Blair, a thriving town up the Missouri 
River in Nebraska. The boss was a fine looking man and 
carried a fine yellow silk handkerchief in his hip pocket. I 
inquired of him if he needed any more men on the job. He 
said certainly we can handle more hands. You will have to 
furnish your own shovel, said he, and keep it clean. I told 
the boss I would get a new shovel tonight at the hardware 
store and commence work in the morning. 

The next morning we were on hand and went to work. 
The teams were engaged in hauling out a deep cut on the 
grading, which the boss wanted taken out as soon as possible. 
One young man was employed in carrying drinking water 
for the men, another man was engaged on the job who had 
a list, or roster, giving every man's name and exact number 
of days he worked. Well, the work was crowded right along, 
the men talking, laughing, joking and occasionally singing 
a familiar song. Our boarding house was on Twentieth St., 
a short distance south of the new cable line. We were fur- 
nished with good substantial board at $4.00 per week. Three 
Norwegian ladies were the managers of the house and we 



H4 MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

soon found out that they could cook anything that came into 
the house, from practical experience. After grading was 
completed, a force of skillful track layers were put on the 
line in order to get the road ready for the passenger coaches. 

Our next employment was with a gang of hands tearing 
up the sidewalks and pavements, grading and widening the 
streets. A new City Hall was under construction on the 
north side of Farnam St., just opposite the Court House. 
Our work on this large edifice was preparing the new 
foundation for the massive structure soon to be erected for 
the city. Orders were soon issued to contractors for the 
grading and beautifying of the Court House yards and re- 
pairing the street railway system. New dwelling houses 
were being built in every direction by the dozen all over the 
city. Wages run from $1 . 50, $1 . 75 and $2 . 00 per day, cash 
in hand every Saturday night. Surely Omaha was on a big 
boom. 

The work of repairing, grading and building was con- 
tinued until the middle of November, at which time a fear- 
ful snow storm set in which lasted a couple of days, com- 
pletely blockading the principal streets. The boys were then 
called on again to clear up the sidewalks at reasonable 
wages. On Sundays, when the weather was favorable, the 
employes dressed up in their best clothes and took in the 
sights of the city. Some went to the parks, some to South 
Omaha, and others went occasionally to Fort Omaha to see 
the Second U. S. Infantry appear on dress parade. One of 
the greatest amusements to be seen in the city was the 
Panorama of the battle of Gettysburg. A large eight square 
building was constructed for the display of the great battle 
scene, which extended three hundred feet around the massive 
building. Men, horses and everything indispensable in the 
art of war were displayed, all life size. A veteran soldier 
who participated in the great battle himself gave free 
lectures to visitors and everybody who called to see the 
great curiosity. 

The City of Omaha, the county seat of Douglas County, 
Neb., is finely located on the west bank of the Missouri river, 
directly opposite Council Bluffs, Iowa. In 1880 it contained 
30,518 inhabitants. In 1890, 102,000. It was formerly the 
state capital, and was named in honor of the Omaha tribe of 
Indians. She once claimed that the city was the eastern 



MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 115 

terminus of the Union Pacific Railroad, but the Judge of 
the U. S. District Court at Council Bluffs decided adversely, 
in favor of the latter city, therefore, the Union Pacific depot 
was erected at Council Bluffs. 

After the big snow storm in November there was no work 
of any account in Omaha and very little demand for hands 
in the city. It was reported that there was considerable 
work in the south and western states on proposed routes 
for new railroads. Therefore, in consequence, we left the 
city about the 20th of November and went to Shenandoah, 
Southwestern Iowa. We remained in the vicinity of the 
latter place until after the holidays, when we decided to 
go via Creston and Winterset to Des Moines, the capital of 
Iowa. 

We reached the latter city on or about the first of Feb., 
1886. We knew of an intimate friend at Ankeny, eleven 
miles north of Des Moines, who lived about one mile east of 
the Chicago & Northwestern railroad, and two miles north- 
east of Ankeny, Joseph B. Blue, formerly of Spring Valley, 
Carroll County, Illinois. 

Mr. Blue owned a good farm of eighty acres, well stocked 
up with fine hogs, cattle and horses. We were glad to see 
and visit our friend and family whom we had not seen for 
some five years. His father was the late venerable William 
Blue, one of the pioneer settlers of Carroll Co. Mr. Blue 
was born in Wheeling, West Virginia. His wife was Miss 
Rachel Stonebraker, formerly of Ohio. They lived near 
Delaware, Ohio, before removing to Illinois. Mr. Blue and 
his family were all excellent neighbors. Joseph and his 
lady lived at Corning, Iowa, several years. 

We remained with Mr. J. B. Blue choring and visiting 
for some three days when we bade our friends good bye. 
Went to Shelldahl Junction and took the Chicago, Milwau- 
kee & St. Paul railroad and returned home to Cherry Grove 
Township, Carroll County, Illinois, along the beginning of 
February, 1887. 

As our youngest brother, John, was living in Alta, Iowa, 
and vicinity, Buena Vista Co., we lived at home during the 
summer of 1887, and were engaged in helping Wilson to 
farm the homestead. John had went to Alta with Martin 
Grove and family in March, 1884. Mr. Grove lived about 
six miles southwest of the latter town, and had rented one 



n6 MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

hundred and sixty acres. He was married to Miss Phebe 
Willfong, of Spring Valley. John also lived on the farm 
with David C. Forney, whose farm was located about one 
mile west of Alta. 

During our stay and labors at home this year nothing 
transpired of any consequence. We were on business in our 
neighboring towns and attended at Memorial services nearly 
every year. 

In the spring of 1883 we joined Shiloh Post No. 85, G. A, 
R., at Lanark. They received their charter September 23d 
1880. I belonged to this Post five years, from 1883 until 
1888, when I received a transfer to Col. Holden Putnam 
Post No. 646, Shannon, Department of Illinois. The Shannon 
Post was chartered November 17, 1887. The Post meets the 
first end third Saturday evenings of each month. The 
Women's Relief Corps, auxiliary to the Grand Army of the 
Republic, meets at two o'clock P. M. in G. A. R. Hall, 
Shannon. A brief sketch of the lives of the members of 
Holden Putnam Post will be written up for the Memoirs. 

Joined Holden Post No. 646, G. A. R., at Shannon. 

In the spring of 1883 we hired on the farm which was 
rented by my uncle, George Straub. The farm belonged to 
Mr. Snow. It was a part of the land on which the town of 
Chadwick now stands. We worked on the farm with our 
uncle until near harvest. Along the beginning of September 
we hired with the late Emanuel Spielman, who then owned 
a part of the townsite on which Chadwick is now built. 
Mr. Spielman departed this life over ten years ago. He was 
a first-class, practical farmer, and owned a large farm near 
Chadwick. Of course, in the language of Capt. C'al. Feezer, 
when advertising the Mt. Carroll fair, " there was something 
doing all the time." His wife was an excellent housekeeper 
and one of the most exemplary ladies in Carroll County. 
She still lives near Chadwick. We worked for other gentle- 
men from three to five miles east of Chadwick, namely, 
Frank Ray, John C. Forry, John Swigart and Mr. John 
Curtice. During the threshing season the above farmers 
generally exchanged work with their neighbors, and of 
course, were obliged to hire hands to help them through. 

In June, 1888, the Republican National Convention con- 



MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 117 

vened in the City of Chicago. Benjamin Harrison received 
on the first ballot 83 votes. On the eighth and last ballot 
he received 544 votes. There was but one ballot taken for a 
Vice-Presidential candidate, Hon. Levi P. Morton received 
591 votes. 

The Democratic National Convention convened at St. 
Louis in June, 1888. Hon. Stephen G. Cleveland was re- 
nominated by acclamation for President and Hon. Allen G. 
Thurman of Ohio, was nominated for Vice-President on the 
first ballot. 

Presidential Campaign, 1888 — Election of Harrison. 

In November 1888, the contest for President of the United 
States was hotly contested, and great enthusiasm was mani- 
fested on both sides. During the campaign we picked up a 
Freeport newspaper in which we read an article written up 
by a patriotic minister of Stephenson County. Of course 
great praise was bestowed upon the Republican nominees, 
and in conclusion said, the sensible divine, Messrs. Harrison 
and Morton are going to the White House. After we read 
the preacher's prediction we had no doubt about the general 
result. 

In 1860, Benjamin Harrison raised the 70th Indiana 
volunteer infantry and was appointed its Colonel, and by 
his valuable services rendered his country was promoted 
to be Brigadier General in the army. At the election in 
November following he carried every northern state except 
New Jersey and Connecticut, receiving 233 electorial votes 
against Mr. Cleveland's 168. President Harrison was inaug- 
urated March 4th, 1889, and in a drenching rain delivered a 
long inaugural address. 

In the spring of 1888, we were elected School Director 
in Spring Valley, Carroll Co., to serve three years. I was 
appointed Clerk of the Board of Directors. Mr. John 
Woessner, who was killed at Shannon in March, 1894, was 
President of the Board. Mr. Woessner and myself went to 
Lanark to consult Hon. John H. Grossman in regard to the 
selection of a desirable teacher for our school. He advised 
us to employ Mr. Theron E. Wilkin, of Cherry Grove Town- 
ship. We paid him forty dollars per month. He proved to 
be one of the best practical instructors in Carroll County. 



CHAPTER XVII. 



National Enrampment at Milwaukee, September, 1 889 — 
General Sherman visits Soldiers Home. 

During the spring 1 and summer of 1889 we remained at 
home working on the farm, nothing happening of any conse- 
quence that we recollect of worth mentioning. 

Joseph W. Pifer was inaugurated Governor of Illinois 
January 14th, 1889, to serve until January 10th, 1893. He 
was born at Staunton, Va., October 28th, 1842, and served 
in the Civil War as a member of the 33d Illinois Vol. In- 
fantry. 

The 23d National Reunion convened at Milwaukee, Wis., 
August 20th, 21st and 22d, 1889. Holden Putnam Post No. 
646 of Shannon nearly all attended the Reunion. Those who 
attended from Shannon and vicinity were Commander Jacob 
Kehm, 93d Illinois Inf., R. B. Straw, 15th 111. Inf., David 
Payne, 26th IU Inf., Jacob Sturdevant, 26th El. Inf., Ben- 
jamin P. Kramer, 26th 111. Inf., Thomas Sizer, 17th 111. Cav- 
alry, Russell Hayes, 11th 111. Inf., Balser Bistline, 93d 111. 
Inf., David L. Humbert, 15th 111 Inf., George C. Byers, Co. K, 
15th 111. Inf., Edw. A. Straub, Co. B, 7th Pa, Cavalry, Aaron 
H. Maehamer, Co. D, 46th 111. Inf., Daniel Galpin, 46th 111. 
Inf., George Lashell, 93d 111. Inf., John A. Leonard, Co. I, 
49th Ohio Inf., Robert W. Healy, 15th 111 Inf., Christian 
Co. K, 92d 111. Inf., Jacob Fry, Co. B, 15th 111. Inf., Christian 
Pry, 15th 111. Inf., Edward Flora, Co. D, 81st Pa., John Dun- 
man, 15th 111. Inf., Robert Cheeseman, 15th 111. Inf., Reuben 
Connelly, Henry Burket, Co. D, 14th U. S. Regulars, Alfred 



MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 119 

Whitacre, Co. F, 50th N. Y. Engineers, John R. Hayes, Co. 
A, 11th 111. Inf., John A. Straub, Peter W. Straub, Barney 
Spangler, Amos W. Babb, Joseph Sturdevant, David Moll, 
James Payne, William Payne. 

Milwaukee was in holiday attire, flags flying on all the 
public buildings and dense crowds of visitors from the 
whole Middle West. The vast throng of visitors took in the 
sights of the city, some viewing Lake Michigan, some visit- 
ing the fine parks, and others the National Military Home 
for disabled volunteer soldiers. On Thursday evening there 
was a great naval sham battle on Lake Michigan. 

General William T. Sherman was conceded to be the 
lion of the hour. His brother the Hon. John Sherman, at 
that time was United States Senator from Ohio. They rode 
together in a fine carriage, through the principal streets 
and were much admired and highly honored by the G. A. R. 
and everybody in attendance. Gen. Sherman died at his 
home in New York City at 1 :50 P. M., February 14th, 1891. 

The G. A. R. parade occurred on Wednesday, August 22d ; 
it was estimated that there were 35,000 men in line. They 
marched east on Grand Avenue and were reviewed at the 
Plankinton Hotel, by Gen. Sherman and other prominent 
military men. 

We remained in Milwaukee until Friday, when we re- 
turned to Shannon, via the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul 
R. R. When we got home we enjoyed the quiet walk of 
life again. Of course we missed the bands and choice music 
at the Reunion, but occasionally we play a few familiar airs 
on the piccolo and violin, and then we realize the fact that 
the ball is over at Milwaukee. Our attention and labors 
are next engaged in getting our fall work done, and corn and 
potatoe crops stored away. 

Enumerator on Eleventh U. S. Census, June 1890 

During the winter we formed the idea that we would 
make application once more for the position of enumerator 
on the eleventh census for Cherry Grove Township. We 
first consulted Col. R. R. Hitt, our member of Congress. 
He informed me that the Hon. C. C. Jones of Rockford 
would be supervisor. We therefore made application for the 
position to Hon. C. C. Jones, who sent our request to the 



120 MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

Hon. Robert P. Porter at Washington, Mr. Porter having 
been appointed Superintendent of the U. S. Census for the 
entire country at a salary of $5,000.00. 

Near the approach of spring we were advised that we 
were appointed enumerator on the eleventh census for 
Cherry Grove Township, Carroll County, Illinois. Our work 
was to commence on the first day of June, 1890, the job 
to be completed in thirty days. Right here, before we forget 
it, we remark that we noticed an article in the Freeport 
Weekly Journal that the Supervisor, Hon. C. C. Jones, of 
Rockford, remarked, after we had sent in our complete re- 
turns and reports from our subdivision (Cherry Grove), 
that we were slow and behind time in forwarding our re- 
ports to Rockford. 

We shall now inform the radical Journal, that we had 
some corrections to make in the returns and we recollect 
that we copied some extracts and information to be kept 
for future reference. A delay of a couple of days amounted 
to nothing, as the reports were not published until nearly 
a year. 

The Hon. David H. Sunderland, who was supervisor on 
the tenth census and who controlled the twelve counties 
adjoining Freeport, told me I had made a good average 
report and compared favorably with any work performed in 
his supervisor's district. I was very particular to write up 
all information and returns very correctly. We received a 
number of letters from Washington making inquiry in re- 
gard to mortgaged property, all of which we answered, giv- 
ing the information required, and never received any com- 
plaint from the Census Department. 

A Visit to Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York. 

Along the beginning of September, 1890, we received a 
letter from Captain George F. Steahlin of Orwigsburg, Pa., 
who was Secretary of the 7th Pa. Veteran Vol. Cavalry As- 
sociation, informing me that the next Annual Reunion of our 
regiment, the 7th Pa. Cavalry, would come off at Muncy, 
Lycoming County, Pa., on October 25th and 26th, 1890. 

We had removed from Pennsylvania on March 18th, 
1867, therefore it had been twenty-three years since we left 
Williamsport, Pa. We talked with a few of our comrades 



MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 121 

at Shannon and told them of our reunion to occur in Penn- 
sylvania. Our Commander, Jacob Kehm, who now resides at 
Canton, South Dakota, advised me to go and attend the re- 
union. 

We soon decided that we would take it in and have a 
jolly good time with the boys, our first meeting since the 
war. We started September 8th, 1890, went to Shannon, 
and made the first run to Freeport. We remained at the 
latter city until about 3:00 P. M. Monday, when we pur- 
chased a through ticket for Pittsburg, Pa., at thirteen dol- 
lars. We arrived in the city of Chicago about 7:00 P. M. 
We first took a hearty supper and were then transferred to 
the Baltimore and Ohio depot and were soon wending our 
way via Akron to Columbus, Ohio, arrived at the latter city 
about noon Tuesday, September 9th. After a short stop 
here we soon proceeded on our way for Pittsburg, arriving 
in the big city on Wednesday at 4:00 P. M. We went di- 
rectly to a good boarding house and rested up until morn- 
ing. 

During the forenoon we went to the Baltimore & Ohio 
depot and requested the price of a through ticket to Wash- 
ington. The ticket agent at Pittsburg informed me that the 
fare to Washington was $7.00. Our train left the city 
at 3 :00 P. M. Wednesday, via. McKeesport, Cumberland 
and Harper's Ferry, for Washington. Before we left Pitts- 
burg we called to see an intimate friend of our father's, the 
Hon. Charles W. Robb, a prominent lawyer, whom we found 
in a fine office on Fifth Avenue. Mr. Robb was born and 
raised at Muncy, Pa. We had never seen him since he left 
Muncy and located in Pittsburg. 

After a social chat of a couple of hours, we bade Mr. 
Robb good-bye about 2:30 P. M., went to the depot, and 
were soon wending our way to Washington, the National 
Capitol. We crossed the Potomac River at Cumberland, 
Md., and at Harper's Ferry, Va., and on Thursday morning, 
at sunrise, we were in Washington. We went directly to a 
good hotel, engaged comfortable quarters and after break- 
fast we were at liberty to view the sights of the great city. 
The first great attraction we visited was the Washington 
Monument, which is said to be the highest masonry structure 
in the world. Its entire height is 555 feet. The interior con- 



122 MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

tains an elevator and a winding iron stairway of 900 steps. 
The entire structure was built of Maryland marble. 

Our next attraction and wonder was the National Muse- 
um. Here (said the showman) are to be seen the natural 
curiosities of which history gives an account. Nearly all 
kinds of animals, stuffed and mounted, gorillas and deer, 
and the inanimate wonder of the continent. Within a beau- 
tiful showcase was displayed George Washington's uniform, 
which he wore during the Revolutionary War. 

The next day, Friday, we visited Congress, which was 
in session in the National Capitol building. Only the U. S. 
Senate was in session, the lower house having adjourned. 
Certain features of important bills were being discussed, and 
taken into consideration by the Senate. We did not see 
President Harrison as he was at Cresson Springs, Pa., a cele- 
brated summer resort. 

After we viewed the great Capitol building we boarded 
the street cars and went out to see the National Military 
Home for disabled U. S. Regular soldiers. We concede it to 
be the finest Military Home on the American continent. One 
of the regulars showed me a beautiful summer house, where 
he said Abraham Lincoln called and passed a portion of his 
leisure moments, in order to get away from numerous office- 
seekers. 

We met a former comrade of the 4th U. S. Regular Cav- 
alry and he gave me important information about the Home. 
He told me where I could see the tomb or vault which con- 
tained the remains of the late lamented den. John A. Logan, 
of Illinois. After a very social chat with comrades of differ- 
ent regiments, we boarded a car and returned to the city. 

Now, my dear readers and Christian friends, we would 
advise you all to visit Washington City at least once during 
your life time; the distance is only 790 miles southeast of 
Chicago and we know you would never regret the wonderful 
trip. 

On Saturday, September 13th, we purchased a ticket for 
Philadelphia, in which city we had relatives, whom we had 
not seen for over twenty years. We reached the City of 
Brotherly Love (so-called) about 12 o'clock noon, consulted 
a city directory and soon found our relatives. 

We had two first cousins living on Callowhill Street, 
northwest of Ridge Avenue. We boarded a street car and 



MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 123 

in half an hour we found our cousins' residence, and Mrs. 
Daniel Straub at home. In the evening' the rest of the family 
came home and of course were surprised to see a relative 
from Illinois. Mr. Straub 's daughter, Lizzie, was married 
and lived in the historic town of Germantown, which now 
forms a part of the city. William and Samuel were both 
married, but I have forgotten the names of the streets on 
which they resided. 

One son, the youngest, Andrew J. Straub, lived at home. 
He was learning the printing trade in the city. Andrew 
was very familiar with all the principal streets of Phidalphia, 
and knew the exact location of all the prominent parks, pub- 
lic buildings, attractions, etc., and was therefore, instructed 
by his parents to escort the Rough Eider, formerly of Kil- 
patrick's Cavalry, over the beautiful city. 

"Now, sir," said Andy, "we shall proceed to Independ- 
ence Hall and view the old historic Liberty Bell, which once 
proclaimed liberty and independence to all the inhabitants 
of the country from Maine to California. ' ' Those who visit 
that historic building will find the glorious old bell sus- 
pended and swinging near the top of a flight of stairs in 
the hall. 

Now, dear readers, don't get in a hurry, but take a seat 
under some of the large trees in the park, and see Inde- 
pendence Hall from the south side, and surroundings. 

We are now obliged to go to dinner, after which we 
cross the Delaware River, and pass into the Zoological Park, 
or garden, and see nearly all the animals, birds and fowls 
of the world. "Yes, sir," said the Frenchman at Niagara 
Falls, "suparb, magnifique; by goll, she comes down first- 
rate." 

On our way to the Zoo Garden, we passed through a 
part of Fairmount Park, which is said to be the city's great- 
est pleasure park. The Schuylkill River divides it into 
East Park, with over 633 acres, and West Park, with 1,323 
acres. The city park system includes about 4,000 acres. 

We next boarded a steamer at the landing and crossed 
the Delaware River to Camden, New Jersey. We here 
bought a round trip ticket for Atlantic City, New Jersey, 
our center of attraction being the world-wide wonder, the 
Atlantic Ocean. We passed over the Philadelphia and Read- 



124 MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

ing R. R. (double track), the distance from Camden being 
fifty-nine miles, railroad fare $1.50. 

We arrived at the sea coast about 10:00 A. M. and re- 
mained until about 5 :00 P. M. The weather, September 17th, 
1890, was fine, clear as a bell, the sun shone brightly, and 
the wild waves and everything in nature seemed to smile all 
the while. A beautiful merry-go-round (in Pennsylvania, 
Mying-ginnie,) was pouring forth the sweet strains of the 
old familiar army song, " Tenting on the Old Camp Ground.' ' 

My cousin thought surely, the ladies and gentlemen were 
enjoying the quiet walk of life on the sea coast to-day. A 
substantial sidewalk extended north and south along the sea 
coast, nearly the entire length of the city. It was elevated 
on strong piles like a railroad bridge. I asked a photog- 
rapher how far we could see on the ocean. He replied, 
''About thirty miles." 

The surface of the country between Camden and Atlantic 
City is moderately level. The people are extensively en- 
gaged in raising vegetation, and the cultivation of large 
market gardens. The city contained in 1903, latest estimate, 
33,272 inhabitants. 

At 5 o'clock P. M. Andrew and myself took the regular 
train for Philadelphia, reaching home about 8 o'clock P. M. 

The next morning we told our relatives that we would 
have to take leave of them and visit our uncle and family 
at Elizabethtown, Lancaster County, Pa. We bade our 
cousins good-bye and invited them all to come to Illinois 
and visit us. 

Philadelphia is a great manufacturing city. In some 
respects it excels Chicago. The sanitary conditions for 
cleanliness are better; it contains purer and better water, 
and contains the largest parks of any city in the United 
States. The city contained at the latest estimation in 1906, 
1,441,735 inhabitants. 

Andrew Straub and an intimate friend of his went with 
us to the Pennsylvania Central depot to see us off before our 
departure for Elizabethtown. We left the city about 11 :00 
o'clock and arrived at the latter place about 4:00 P. M. 
Our Uncle Samuel Straub lived three miles southeast of 
town and ten miles west of Lancaster City. We met a com- 
rade in town, of the G. A. R., William Nauman, who in- 



MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 125 

vited me to remain all night with him, and in the morning 
he would take me out to my uncle's home. 

We found the folks all very well. Uncle Samuel was 
engaged in getting out his potato crop. He had out about 
two acres, and they were a fine quality. We threw off our 
coat and helped him to store away several wagon loads in 
the cellar. Mr. Nauman remained a short time at uncle's 
place, and then returned home. My cousin Annie was at 
home and kept house for her father. She cooked too much 
and set a bountiful table. I enjoyed my visit very well. 
I went out several times to gather chestnuts, but the or- 
chards in that vicinity at that time were a failure, destroyed 
by a fearful hail storm. 

On Monday Uncle Samuel accompanied me to the Penn- 
sylvania Central depot at Elizabethtown. We bade each 
other good-bye with reluctance. My train was due about 
5 P. M., which I boarded and proceeded to Harrisburg, the 
State Capitol of Pennsylvania. I had two first cousins living 
in town, namely, Henry K. Straub, and his wife, who was a 
sister of William Naumans of Elizabethtown. Henry's fam- 
ily was all at home. He had four boys, whose names were : 
Samuel, the eldest, Moses, Albert and Charles. Samuel was a 
clerk in a large store in the city. 

After my arrival at Henry's home I received a letter 
from Major George F. Steahlin, of Orvigsburg, who in- 
formed me that our Annual Reunion would occur at Muncy, 
October 25th and 26th. He stated, "don't fail to be pres- 
ent." 

Henry was a member of the City Fire Department and 
was very kind and obliging in showing me around the city. 
One evening we crossed the Susquehanna River to Bridge- 
port, where I met Corporal John Kintz of Co. I of my regi- 
ment. We had an old familiar chat together, and were both 
delighted to see each other. Mr. Kintz died at Mechanics- 
burg, Cumberland County, Pa., November 26th, 1896. 

We made a visit to the U. S. Arsenal about two miles east 
of town. Ex-soldiers were requested to register their names, 
company and regiment, and give their present Post Office 
address. 

Our next center of attraction was a trip through the 
Capitol grounds and an inspection of the State Capitol 
buildings. Here we saw all our company and regimental 



126 MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

flags. In the Capitol Park were to be seen a number of large 
cannon, mounted. We were informed that one of the guns 
had been through the Mexican War. 

We were invited to call and visit different friends in the 
city, but the time for our Reunion was approaching and we 
had numerous relatives and friends in and around Muncy, 
Hughesville and Williamsport, whom we had to visit. On 
Saturday morning we took leave of our friends and relatives 
in Harrisburg and went over the Northern Central R. R. 
to Milton, Northumberland County. A number of my com- 
pany and regiment lived in the latter town. I called to see 
Mr. John C. Mervine, who formerly belonged to Co. B, 7th 
Pa. Cavalry. I remained over Sunday with my friend and 
family. I had not seen Mr. Mervine since the war, twenty- 
three years. We attended church services together on Sun- 
day and I was very glad to see and visit him and his family. 

Monday morning I met another one of my company on 
the street, William H. Trego. He was the last bass-drummer 
of our regimental band in the war. He was a good singer, 
and frequently sang some old familiar songs for the boys. 
He had three brothers who were members of our company. 

About 10 o'clock A. M. I went to the Philadelphia & 
Reading depot and bought a ticket for Danville, Montour 
County, Pa,, where a number of my regiment lived. Mr. 
Trego also went to Danville, via Sunbury. Here we met 
Mr. John Albeck, formerly of our company. We then went 
to one of the leading hotels and had an old familiar chat 
on recollections of war times. Mr. Albeck had a brother in 
our regiment, Sergeant William Albeck. He was a nice 
man and a dutiful officer. He died at Danville, Pa., over 
fifteen years ago. The city contained in 1906 (local esti- 
mate), 10,000 souls. 

We had a first cousin living about two miles west of 
Exchange, Montour Co., Penna., whose name was Joseph D. 
Artley. His mother, the late Mrs. Katy Artley, was an 
aunt of mine and sister of my mother. I met with the mail 
carrier who was on the route between Exchange and Dan- 
ville and rode to Exchange with him. The people in the 
village told me where Mr. Artley lived. I think I remained 
in the village over night and went out to Mr. Artley 's in the 
morning. I found him out in the corn field cutting up corn. 
My cousin did not know me. I asked him if he needed a 



MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 127 

hand on this job; he thought he would have to get along 
without a hand, so I finally told him who I was and where I 
hailed from, Carroll County, Illinois. About eleven o'clock 
we went to the house and talked over old times and our 
school boy days. In the language of Col. Ingersoll, the past 
rose before us, and ere long a good Pennsylvania dinner was 
set before us. 

The next day Mr. Joseph Fullmer came down from 
Muncy, his wife, Mrs. Tillie, was a sister of Mr. Artley. 
Along in the afternoon we were seized with a violent head- 
ache and were obliged to lie down on the lounge a couple 
hours and keep cool and quiet. Grandma remarked, no 
wonderEdward you get such a headache, you have to answer 
so many questions. After a good sleep during the night we 
were all right again in the morning. 

Joseph was the proud possessor of a pair of twin girls 
whose names were Maud and Blanche. They were about 
fifteen years of age. My visit being over, Joseph and myself 
departed over the Muncy Hills, on the Danville road for 
Muncy, Lycoming Co., Penna. 

We reached Muncy about nine o'clock A. M., and called 
on Mr. Buffington and family, who were old time friends of 
Mr. Artley. We made a short hault at Samuel Gundrum's 
residence, a half mile east of town on the Danville road. 
Mr. Gundrum told us to be sure and call to see them. He 
was also the proud possessor of a pair of twin boys, 
William and Ellis. A number of people could never dis- 
tinguish one from the other. They have grown to manhood 
and are now two of Muncy 's leading citizens. Mr. Gun- 
drum's oldest son, Wilson, resides in Montoursville, Penna. 
He was a dutiful member of Co. B, 84th Penna. Infantry, 
and also a member of Co. H, 131st Penna. Vol. Infantry. His 
father, who was one of the most highly respected and prac- 
tical farmers in Lycoming County, Penna., died at Muncy 
over fifteen years ago. 

We were now in our native town after an absence of 
twenty-three years, and of course, we naturally looked 
around to notice changes, improvements and renew old 
acquaintances. The most of my friends knew me, others 
failed to recognize me. 



CHAPTER XVIII. 



Reunion of the yth Pennsylvania Cavalry at Muncy, Pa. — 
The Hughsville Fair. 

My mother had a first cousin in town, Miss Mary Huck- 
ell, who had been a teacher in the public schools for many 
years. She was delighted to meet me. She resembled very 
much Gen. George B. McClellan's lady in her personal ap- 
pearance. I handed her a five dollar gold coin, which of 
course, created an attractive smile, and for which she 
thanked me ever so much. She had many highly esteemed 
friends in Muncy and vicinity. In the course of a couple 
days we went out to visit Joseph Fulmer and family, who 
lived about two miles north of Muncy. We found the folks 
all reasonably well and enjoying the quiet walk of life. Mr. 
Fulmer lived on and had rented the old homestead where his 
father, the late Anthony Fulmer, used to live. The old farm 
was about one-half mile east of the Pennsylvania Canal and 
the Susquehanna River. Two young sons, Otto and Frank, 
and one daughter, Miss Minnie, remained at home with their 
father to help him do the farm work. Of course Mr. Fulmer 
was soon actively engaged in husking out his corn crop and 
storing it away in the crib. As I was reared on the farm 
myself I helped him to husk out a shock occasionally. When 
the weather was bad and changeable, Joseph and I went 
into the fields and picked up the chestnuts. 

Our Annual Reunion occurred on the 25th and 26th of 
October. We had a grand Camp Fire on Wednesday. The 



MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 129 

Muncy band furnished music for the occasion and the ad- 
dress of welcome was delivered by the late Hon. Henry 
Johnson of Muncy, Penna. Headquarters were established 
at the Post Hall of J. D. Musser Post No. 66, G. A. R., 
Department of Pennsylvania. The Secretary, Major G. F. 
Steahlin, requested all of the members of our regiment 
present to register their names, company and regiment, they 
then received a fine badge and were ready to appear in the 
street parade. 

The following members of Co. B were present: Capt. 
John H. Summers, Monroeton, Penna. ; Oliver Helfinger, Cov- 
ington, Penna.; A. E. Williams, Edw. A. Straub, Shannon, 
111. ; Lafayette Dimmick, Williamsport ; Peter Paulhamus, 
Benjamin F. Warner, Pennsdale; Jos. Hill, Hughesville, 
Penna,., and Edw. R. Warberton, Campbellville, Penn. 

At the close of our reunion at Muncy, I met a number of 
my old time friends, comrades and school mates, nearly all 
of whom invited me to visit them at their respective homes. 
I went from Muncy to Cousin Joseph Fulmer 's home. In 
the course of a couple days, Mr. Fulmer took me to Picture 
Rock, two miles north of Hughesville, on the Williamsport 
and North Branch R. R. At Picture Rock I had numerous 
friends and relatives. My first visit was at Mr. J. D. Mus- 
grove's, who had married Miss Jane A. Artley, a sister of 
Joseph and Mrs. Tillie Fulmer. Mr. Musgrove and his wife 
conducted a boarding house and village store. He was also 
appointed Post Master at Picture Rock by President Harri- 
son. He was conceded to be one of the best practical busi- 
ness men in the town. I am told he now manages a respons- 
ible position at Hall's Station at the Junction of the 
Williamsport and North Branch R. R., with the Philadelphia 
and Reading. 

Our next visit was at Mr. and Mrs. Frank Arnold's. Mr. 
Arnold was absent at Eagles Mere, a prominent summer 
resort, situated near Lewis' Lake, Sullivan Co. He was a 
good practical brick layer and was employed at the summer 
resort in the construction of some fine dwellings and hotels. 
Mr. Arnold returned home on Saturday evening. Mrs. 
Amelia Tallman, widow of the late Mathew Tallman, was 
visiting Mrs. Arnold at the same time. The venerable lady 
was much interested in the picturesque appearance and 
natural scenery of the surrounding hills. The leaves on the 



130 MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

trees began to turn green, yellow and red in October, and 
presented a beautiful aspect. Of course we had an enjoy- 
able outing at Picture Rock. The village is surrounded by 
dense woods and Muncy Creek passes the east side of the 
town, north and south. 

During October the Hughesville Fair opened up, which 
afforded us ample opportunity to converse and meet with 
numerous acquaintances and intimate relatives, the majority 
of whom cordially invited us to visit them. There was quite 
a large attendance at the fair and all the exhibits first-class 
stock, and agricultural implements were indeed very credit- 
able. 

Prior to the commencement of the fair, we were invited 
to visit a member of our company, at Pennsdale, over Sun- 
day, the late Benjamin F. Warner. After the war Mr. 
Warner worked at the blacksmith trade in the latter village, 
and as he and I tented together on the old camp ground in 
Pennsylvania, Kentucy, Alabama, Tennessee and Georgia, I 
was in the same boat, naturally, with the monster elephant, 
which boarded the train safely and trumpeted his satisfac- 
tion. 

On Monday morning we went to Muncy where we had 
business transactions with one of the Justices of the Peace 
and Notary Public. We called around town on different 
friends until five o'clock P. M., at which time we went out 
to Muncy Creek to visit one of our former neighbors, Mr. 
Pierson Butler, who lived about three miles east of Muncy 
on a fine farm, in Muncy Creek Township. Mr. Butler's wife 
was formerly Miss Mary A. Gortner, sister of William and 
Charles Gortner. They lived near Pennsdale a number of 
years. Mr. Butler was a good practical farmer and a good 
citizen. He was formerly the Orderly Sergeant of the Muncy 
Dragoons, an efficient cavalry troop, organized in Muncy 
before the war. 

When at the Hughesville Fair, we had a number of invi- 
tations from friends and relatives to call around and see 
them. 

After we took leave of Mr. Butler's folks, we called at 
the Emanuel Lutheran Cemetery to view the resting places of 
intimate friends. After we had visited the silent city of the 
dead and observed the last resting places of friends, aunts 
and uncles, we called to visit William Winner and family, 



MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 131 

who lived about two miles northeast of Pennsdale on a fine 
farm, known as the William Robb homestead. Mr. Winner 
was also a good carpenter and was absent until night when 
he returned home. His family, two daughters and one son 
remained at home with their father to help him carry on the 
farm work. He used to live in Pennsdale where he was in 
partnership with Henry Apker, both of whom conducted a 
shop for a number of years. 

In the morning, about eight o'clock, we passed through 
the village of Rabbittown on our way to Joseph Rynearson's. 
The village extended about one mile on the east and west 
banks of a small branch (or creek) and was bounded on the 
east and west by a range of hills, running north and south. 
A public school house was located in the center of the village 
where church services were held on Sundays during the sum- 
mer. The village also contained two excellent springs of 
splendid water. 

We reached Joseph Rynearson's farm about ten o'clock. 
When we came near his home we met one of our former 
school mates^ Mrs. Tice Fague, formerly Miss Catharine 
Artley, and sister of Charles A. Artley. She was on her way 
to visit Rynearson's. We found the folks all very well in 
their fine country home. Miss Barbara, her two brothers, 
Harlan and Lloyd, were at home to carry on the farm. The 
young lady could drum the organ and kindly amused her 
friends with some choice music. About ten miles northeast 
of the Rynearson farm was a lofty range of mountains called 
North Mountain. 

In a few days we were invited to visit Joseph's brother, 
John Rynearson, who was a first cousin of my mother. He 
lived about one mile east of Cousin Joseph's farm. He had 
two sons, Henry and James, who farmed the place. 

Pennsylvania is especially noted for being naturally 
adapted to raising good crops of buckwheat, and it has been 
formerly a great fruit country, especially for peaches and 
apples. In the fall of the year the farmers all around are 
very fond of their buckwheat cakes and honey for breakfast. 
In the cellars they keep barreled up and in bins an abun- 
dance of apples and also make plenty of good apple butter. 

Well, at Mr. Rynearson's we were well treated to buck- 
wheat cakes and honey, and their housekeeper, Miss Gortner, 
knew how to make them too. John was a good practical 



132 MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

teacher and surveyor by profession, and one of the best 
posted men in Lycoming Co., Pa. 

Having promised Mrs. Tice Fague to call around and see 
them, I was obliged to return to Joseph's again. I bade my 
relatives good-bye and was taken by Joseph to Mr. Tice 
Fague 's home, in the morning. We found the folks all very 
well, kind, sociable and talkative 

Mr. Fague was Clerk of the Board of Directors of Muncy 
Township. The Board consisted of three members. He was 
paid ten dollars a year for his services. If the people of Illi- 
nois would manifest more interest to promote the efficiency 
•of their common school system they should pay every direct- 
or not less than five dollars a year. County and state officers 
■are no more deserving of big wages than school directors. 

We were sorry to leave our friends, but we were obilged 
to return to Pennsdale where we had to make other calls 
•on intimate friends. We took the direct road to the latter 
village, passing on the way Rogers' Brothers country store 
and farm, two miles north of Pennsdale. Our first call after 
passing Rogers' farm was at Ellis Artley's home, one mile 
north of Pennsdale. 

Mr. Artley was one of our old school mates and one of 
the whole-souled citizens of Muncy Township. As a tiller of 
the soil and horseman and stockman, he had no superior in 
Lycoming Co. We were the guest of Mr. Artley over Sun- 
day. About half a mile northeast of his farm was a lofty ele- 
vation known as Artley 's Hill. ' ' Ellis, ' ' said I, ' ' come on, we 
are going on the tip-top of the big hill." He picked up a 
strong cane and remarked to me that he was ready to ascend 
with me to the top of the Prospect Hill. From the top of that 
great high eminence we had a delightful view of Hughesville, 
White Deer, the Susquehanna River, Montoursville and 
South Williamsport, and Muncy, were all sleeping in the 
distance. The boys used to ascend the hill on Sunday morn- 
ings to eat huckel berries and enjoy a little outing. When 
we came down from the hill it was nearly dinner time. 

Mr. Artley was married and had one intelligent daughter. 
His wife was absent on a visit to Philadelphia. About five 
years ago Mr. Artley met with a fatal accident on his farm. 
He was coming home with a load of bark and fell off the 
wagon, between the wheels, and was killed. The account of 



MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 135, 

the sorrowful accident was seen in the Muncy (Penna.) 
Luminary. 

After reaching Pennsdale, our first call was to see one of 
the late Martha Holmes' daughters, Miss Emma. She was 
married, but I have forgotten her husband's name. She and 
her sister Anna and Sadie were schoolmates of mine before 
we came to Illinois. After dinner I called to see Sadie and 
her mother, Mrs. Martha Holmes. She told me her son Joshua 
was living at Ripon, Wisconsin. 

Our next call was to see Miss Julia Butler on West Main 
Street. She had two intelligent nieces living with her, Miss- 
Susan Soule and Miss Jane Eves. Miss Butler was the sister 
of Mr. I. Pierson Butler, Mrs. Amanda Ortt, Miss Mary A. 
Butler and Mrs. Catharine Soule. They were all excellent 
housekeepers, handsome ladies and superb neighbors. Miss. 
Julia and her young niece, Miss Soule, both visited Washing- 
ton, D. C. during the Civil War. The lady had heard so 
much adverse criticism and abuse of Abraham Lincoln, the 
President, in the papers and around home, that she decided 
she would call to see Mr. Lincoln during one of his public 
receptions. When she and her niece returned home she in- 
formed our family and others that she had shook hands with 
the President and considered him one of the best and most 
friendly men she had ever seen. Rev. Henry Ward Beecher 
once declared, after he had visited Mr. Lincoln at Washing- 
ton, that he was one of the most perfect gentlemen he had 
ever met. 

We were invited by Miss Butler to call again but had to> 
decline, as there were other friends and relatives whom we 
had not yet seen. We next called on Miss Mary Whitacre 
and her sister-in-law, Mrs. Joseph Whitacre, who lived on 
West Main Street in Pennsdale. Miss Whitacre is a sister of 
Alfred Whitacre, Mrs. Horace Good, Mrs. Recce Whitacre, 
of New Jersey, Mr. Edwin A. Whitacre, of Kansas, and Prof. 
R. H. Whitacre, of Nebraska. Mrs. Joseph Whitacre was 
the daughter of the late James Warner, a highly respected 
citizen of Muncy Township and a devoted member of the 
Friends Church near Pennsdale. Her husband, the late- 
Joseph Whitacre, was accidentally killed at Pottstown, Pa.,, 
over ten years ago. He was a good practical teacher by pro- 
fession and good farmer. Of course we were kindly treated 
end well entertained. 



134 MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

While we were visiting Mr. B. F. Warner in Pennsdale, 
we met Prof. George H. Good, who invited us to be sure and 
call to see him and his family. He lived about two miles 
northwest of town, and had bought his father's beautiful 
farm from his sisters and brothers. George was one of my 
esteemed schoolmates and had married Miss Sadie Bonine of 
Muncy Township 

Mr. Good and Prof. R. Harlan Whitacre, of Pennsdale, 
attended the Northern Pennsylvania State Normal School at 
Mansfield. They both qualified for the profession of teaching 
and soon became, in theory and practice, leading educators 
of their native state, Pennsylvania, One of George's broth- 
ers, Prof. Daniel F. Good, of Lock Haven, Pa., also attended 
one of the Pennsylvania State Normal Schools at Millers- 
ville, Lancaster Co., Penn. He became a good practical 
instructor and taught school in Pennsdale and Muncy. Sub- 
sequently, he engaged in the insurance business at Lock 
Haven and Philadelphia, 

George had two sisters, namely, Mrs. Jennie Keller, of 
Muncy, and Miss Harriet E. Good, of Williamsport, and four 
brothers, John Horace, William and Daniel, of whom only 
two are living, Daniel and William. Harriet died at 
Williamsport, Penn., over twenty years ago. The lady was 
a fine penman and well educated. The Good farm in Muncy 
Township contained a good cider mill and large orchard 
which attracted the boys on Sundays. The farmers in the 
neighborhood hauled their apples there and made cider and 
then made plenty of good apple butter. 

Of course we were well entertained by Mr. Good and his 
lady and enjoyed our visit ever so much. He had one son 
and one daughter. George passed away over fifteen years 
ago. 

From Mr. Good's home we went out to see Thomas A. 
Warner and family. He lived near Carpenters Run, one mile 
northwest of Pennsdale on his father's old homestead. 

Thomas Warner was a merchant in Pennsdale over thirty 
years ago. He lost his store and mercantile stock by fire and 
afterwards engaged in farming. He was a staunch Repub- 
lican, well posted and good business man. He was a brother 
of Henry E. Warner of Williamsport. He was married to 
Miss Willetts of Muncy Creek Township, Lycoming Co. 

From the fact that we had numerous friends and relatives 



MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 135 

in Williamsport we were obliged, reluctantly, to take our 
leave of Pennsdale and return to Joseph Fulmer's home 
preparatory to leaving for Williamsport. Mrs. Rebecca 
Arnold was visiting at Fulmer 's when I came back. She and 
Mrs. Tillie Fulmer were sisters. 

During the latter part of October I informed my cousins 
that I should have to bid them all good-bye and proceed to 
Hall's Station, on the Pihladelphia and Reading R. R. Tillie 
said, If I must go Miss Minnie would take me to the depot, 
distance one mile. Miss Minnie was Mr. Fulmer's only 
daughter, by marriage she is now Mrs. Enos Evenson of 
Sunbury, Penn. 

We reached Williamsport about four o'clock, P. M., 
boarded a street car and went directly to Cousin John 
Wood's home, out on Erie Avenue. We found the folks all 
reasonably well and enjoying the quiet walk of life. The 
next day the Williamsport Republican announced that Mr. 
E. A. Straub, of Shannon, 111., was visiting his cousin, Mrs. 
Lizzie, Wood, on Erie Avenue. The Hughesville Mail stated 
that Mr. Straub, of Illinois, who has been absent for twenty- 
three years, is visiting his old time friends and relatives: in 
Pennsylvania. He will also attend the annual reunion of his 
regiment, the 7th Pennsylvania Cavalry, at Muncy, Oct. 25th 
and 26th, 1890. 

Our cousin, Mr. Wood, was a market-gardener, in the 
city, by occupation, and owned a fine home on Erie Avenue. 
His eldest son William was a carpenter by trade and was 
married. Two daughters and one son, Mahlon, remained at 
home with their parents. 

We were indeed surprised at the great growth of 
Williamsport since 1867, the year we left Pennsylvania for 
Illinois. In 1860 the city contained 7,561 inhabitants; in 
1870, 16,000; in 1880, 18,900; in 1890, 27,132. Estimate of 
N. Y. World Almanac, 35,000. 

Through the kindness of our cousin, Mahlon Wood and 
Thomas P. Warner, eldest son of Henry E. Warner, Esq., we 
were shown over the principal part of the city. Prof. Perci- 
val Warner was teaching one of the high schools at a salary 
of seventy-five dollars per month, but occasionally, during 
evenings, he found time to be with us. Prof. Warner was 
Secretary of the Fisk Cornet Band Association, and he took 
great pleasure in showing us through their spacious quar- 



136 MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

ters and Band Hall. He remarked to me that they had 
visited Elmira, N. Y., and other prominent cities and were 
conceded to be one of the best practical bands in Northern 
Pennsylvania. The Repass Brass Band and Fred Stopper's 
celebrated Cornet Band always held an enviable reputation 
north of Pittsburg and Philadelphia. I heard in Pennsyl- 
vania that Stopper's band once contained eight brothers. 

We were told that one of our former schoolmates was a 
member of the city police force. We found him on East 
Third Street, his name was William Wallace and he invited 
us to call around on Washington Street to see them and 
make ourselves at home. Mr. Wallace's folks formerly 
owned a large farm midway between Pennsdale and Hughes- 
ville. He had one sister and one brother, Susan and Pierson, 
who lived in the vicinity of Hughesville, Lycoming Co., 
Penna. 

We next called to see Prof. Warner's father, Henry E. 
Warner. Mr. Warner was appointed U. S. Enrolling Officer 
for Lycoming County. During the Civil War all persons 
capable of bearing arms in defense of the country were 
obliged to be enrolled, or registered. If they claimed ex- 
emption, they were subject to a medical examination by 
military surgeons, and if fractured, deformed, subject to fits, 
or rheumatism, they were rejected and sent home. 

Henry married Miss Ann Neece, daughter of the late 
John Neece, formerly a merchant of Pennsdale. He had two 
daughters, Mrs. M. E. Shopbell of Williamsport, Mrs. George 
S. Booker of Baltimore, Md., and one son, Prof T. P. Warner 
of Williamsport. Mrs. Warner departed this life at Penns- 
dale a number of years ago, aged 69 years, ten months and 
six days. Mr. and Mrs. Warner were constant attendants at 
Friends Church, near Pennsdale, at which regular services 
were held Wednesdays and Sundays of each week. She was 
a most estimable woman and had a large circle of friends in 
Lycoming County. Mrs. Warner had two brothers, Joseph 
and Thomas of Williamsport, and four sisters, namely, Mrs. 
Pierce Koontz, Mrs. Joseph Edler, Mrs. Sarah Courson, and 
Mrs. Emma J. Courson, of Lycoming Co. 

We were next invited by Thomas V. B. Neece to call and 
visit them at their home on the southwest side of the city. 
Here we were pleasantly entertained by choice music, piano, 
clarionet and violin. Mr. Neece 's two daughters performed 



MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 137 

on the piano, Lewis, his son, operated the clarionet, and his 
father, a good violinist, was director of the orchestra. . The 
instruments in harmony and unison, chorded naturally and 
were skillfully played by the young ladies and their father. 

Thomes M. Neece was formerly a good practical teacher 
in the common schools of Muncy Township and managed the 
Post Office at Pennsdale a number of years for his father. 
Before the war he attended the Iron City Commercial Col- 
lege at Pittsburg, Penna., pursuing a, regular business course 
in that famous institution. He was conceded to be one of the 
best practical penman and mathematicians in Northern 
Pennsylvania. His wife's name before their marriage was 
Miss Joanna Hayes. She was one of the kindest, most 
sociable and refined ladies in Lycoming County. Her 
daughters are accomplished musicians. 

On taking leave of our intimate friends, we proceeded to 
the residence of Mr. Joseph M. Neece, who was one of our 
schoolmates at Friends school and Pennsdale. Mr. Neece 
owned and controlled a grocery store on East Third Street, 
and was doing a thriving business. He was also a practical 
and efficient teacher in the common schools of Lycoming 
County many years ago. After the war Mrs. John Neece 
sold her property in Pennsdale and the remainder of the 
family moved to Williamsport. Joseph married Miss Jennie 
Soars of Lycoming County. They had, when I visited them, 
one daughter and one son, whose names I have forgotten. I 
informed Mr. Neece that I should like to see his youngest 
sister, Mrs. Alice A. Koontz. He said, my son may go with 
you to her home in the city. Mrs. Daniel Courson was on a 
visit to Alice from Picture Rock. Of course we had a very 
pleasant call. Her husband, Pierson Koontz, was a merchant 
and was doing a prosperous business. The lady was a fine 
singer and was one of my favorite schoolmates. The late 
Mrs. Ocy Coder, Hagar and Mrs. Tillie Fulmer were also 
two very intimate and refined ladies. 

On Sunday morning we returned to Mr. John Wood on 
Erie Avenue where we remained until about ten o'clock, 
after which we went up to Newberry, which town was an- 
nexed to Williamsport over ten years ago. Here we visited 
two first cousins, Mrs. Mary and Charles Baker Straub, who 
used to live at the Summit, a small village in the Cogan 
Valley, Lycoming County, Penna. They owned a fine home 



138 MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

at Newberry and all seemed to be happy and in a prosperous 
condition and circumstances. One of their daughters was 
teaching school, the other, Miss Myrtle, was attending high 
school down in the city. There was a range of hills on the 
north side of the city, running east and west, which Chas. 
and I ascended, from the top of which we had a delightful 
view of Williamsport and the surrounding country. Charles 
and his wife, Mary, are of commanding appearance, kind, 
sociable, liberal and charitable and enjoy the respect and are 
highly esteemed by a large circle of friends in Lycoming Co. 

The city of Williamsport is finely located on the east side 
of the west branch of the Susquehanna river, on the New 
York Central, the Philadelphia and Reading, the Northern 
Central and the Pennsylvania Central railroads. There are 
four parks, Brandon and Vallamont, within the city limits, 
and Starr Island and Sylvan Dell, within easy reach by 
trolley and steamboat service. The manufactories of pro- 
ductive industry include clothing factories, foundries and 
machine shops, tanneries, furniture factories, dye works, 
silk mills, and manufactories of boilers and engines, lumber, 
steel, rubber goods, boots and shoes, mirrors, sandpaper, 
wire rope, building, paving and fire brick, stacks, tanks, 
band instruments, nails, radiators, wood working machinery, 
sewing machines, woolen goods, heaters, gas and gasoline 
engines, pumps, etc. 

The city is a farming, manufacturing and mining trade 
center for Northern Pennsylvania. Founded in 1795 by 
Micheal Ross, Williamsport became the county seat in the 
same year, and was incorporated as a borough in 1806, and 
as a city in 1866. It is bounded on the west by the Penn- 
sylvania Canal, Susquehanna River and the Bald Eagle 
Mountain, on the east by a beautiful farming and agricul- 
tural region, and the surrounding scenery is very attractive 
and unexcelled. 

We now regret to bid our friends and relatives good-bye 
and proceed to the Northern Central depot, preparatory to 
leaving for our home in Illinois. When we came to the depot 
we met our intimate friend, Henry E. Warner, Esq., who 
came to pay his respects before our departure for Niagara 
Falls. 

We purchased a ticket for Buffalo, N. Y., fare just $7.00, 
via Elmira and Rochester. We left Williamsport about 2 :00 



MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 139 

P. M., arrived at Elmira 10 :00 P. M., Rochester 11 :00 P. M. 
and Buffalo about 12:00 P. M. Here we retired for the 
night ; rose about 7 :00 A. M. and took breakfast at a good 
restaurant. 

Our first walk was to the Michigan Central depot, to as- 
certain at what time the regular passenger train left for 
Chicago. The city agent informed me that my train would 
leave the city for Detroit and Chicago at 2:30 P. M. We 
proceeded to South Main Street, where we caught a car for 
the north side section of the city. On our return we went 
down to the steamboat landing to see Lake Erie. Next we 
went directly to Lafayette Square, to view the Soldiers' and 
Sailors ' monument. The principal public monuments are the 
McKinley in Niagara Square and one in memory of Millard 
Filmore in Forest Lawn Cemetery. 



CHAPTER XIX. 



Return to Illinois via Buffalo and Niagara Falls — 
A Country Store Keeper. 

Buffalo is the county seat of Erie County, New York, 
and is finely located at the east end of Lake Erie, twenty 
miles southeast of Niagara Falls, 540 miles east of Chicago, 
and 410 miles by rail northwest of New York. The city con- 
tained in 1905, local estimate, 376,587. For fuller details 
and complete description, statistical and historical, see the 
New International Encyclopedia and Goodrich's Life of Ste- 
phen Grover Cleveland. 

Promptly at 12:30 P. M. our train pulled out of Buffalo 
for Niagara Falls, Canada and Detroit. We passed through 
the City of Lockport, and passed the Falls on the American 
side. When we reached the Falls on the Canada side, a 
short halt was made, about fifty rods from the cataract, to 
enable passengers to step from the train and see the sublime 
and picturesque American wonder and curiosity, of which 
history gives a complete account. The engine bell rings all 
aboard, soon we are wending our way through Canada, and 
at midnight we cross the Detroit River into the city of 
Detroit, Michigan. We make a brief stop and ere long are 
speeding through the cities of Ann Arbor, Jackson and Kala- 
mazoo into Chicago, which latter city we reach at 8 :00 A. M. 
in the morning. 

We put up at the Hotel Royal, ate a hearty breakfast, 
and decided to run out to Lincoln Park on the lake front to 
see the wild animals and big elephant. Chicago surely con- 
tains some beautiful and attractive parks, and is only ex- 



MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 141 

celled in the number of acres by three great American cities, 
namely, Kansas City, St. Louis and Philadelphia, all of which 
contain larger parks. 

A Country Store Keeper in Spring Valley, Carroll Co. 

At 3:00 P. M., November 8th, 1890, we boarded the 
regular train on the Illinois Central railroad for Freeport, 
and arrived at the latter city about 7 :00 P. M. We engaged 
quarters at the New York House, until morning, and de- 
parted for home in Spring Valley at about 9 :00 A. M. We 
met a former friend and neighbor near Van Brocklin, Mr. 
John F. Willfong, who now lives near Taylor Avenue, Free- 
port, 111. Mr. Willfong was the manager of a milk-route in 
Loran Township, and of course we were fortunate in getting 
a ride to within one-half mile of home. 

In the language of the Buckeye showman at Freeport, 
over ten years ago, when we got home, "We must talk, we 
had to talk, and it was in our nature to talk," of our visit 
to Pennsylvania. We found everything all quiet on Lost 
Creek, and our neighbors as well as usual. 

Thanksgiving Day, the last Thursday in November, was 
approaching and the children were lively and happy, to think 
of the rapid approach of the holidays, when Santa Claus 
would surely call, loaded down with candies, pea-nuts and 
rubber balls, and your dads said, "Pull in your freight, put 
on the brakes, and load her up with cookies and fried cakes. ' r 

After the holidays we decided to open up a country 
store at our home in Spring Valley. We ordered groceries, 
Yankee notions, and a quantity of dry goods, from Butler 
Brothers, Sprague, Warner & Co., and Montgomery, Ward 
& Co., Chicago. We stocked up with a line of candies, also 
cigars and tobaccos, and enjoyed a lively and prosperous 
trade with our neighbors and relatives. In the spring we 
took in eggs in exchange for Yankee notions and groceries. 

When spring came in and seeding time opened up our 
trade constantly increased. Strangers passing on both the 
Pearl City and Freeport roads called on me for pipes, cigars 
and tobacco, both smoking and chewing; and sometimes we 
entertained the same thoughts as the Irish grentleman, and 
took a little smoke meself occasionally. During the spring 
and summer we were school director, store-keeper and tiller 



142 MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

of the soil, and sometimes took a fishing excursion to Yellow 
Creek, three miles north in Loran Township. 

One day, some ten years ago, I thought I would enjoy a 
little fishing-trip to Yellow Creek. My father had a bamboo 
pole about fifteen feet long. Off we went to Waterman's 
Ford. When we reached the ford, we decided to proceed 
around the creek and locate ourselves just north of Water- 
man's residence. We had two hooks on our line and put on 
a big wad of angle worms. 

Our line was as long as our pole. Soon we cast our 
hooks away out into the middle of the creek. In the course 
of half an hour our cork, or float, began to move off towards 
the other side of the stream. We left the float move about 
three feet, when we suddenly raised our pole and brought a 
large fish of the red horse species to the top of the water. 
The fish was heavy; we dropped our pole and grasping the 
line over-handed, we kept the fish in the water and soon 
landed it on the bank of the creek. We had a cat-fish on 
one hook and the big red-horse on the other. 

When I got home I had some ten pounds of fish. The 
big one measured just twenty inches, the cat-fish eight 
inches. Benjamin Dorty and my youngest brother, Johnnie, 
caught a nine pound carp one day in Yellow Creek near 
the ford. 

A Big Four Year Tour and Outing in Iowa. 

During the winter of 1891, we formed the idea that we 
had better go back to Iowa again, hunt up a good town, in 
which we would have no opposition, and carry on a racket 
store. Accordingly in the spring of 1892, we packed our 
goods and decided to emigrate to Bedford, Taylor County, 
Iowa, via Savanna, Des Moines and Creston. 

Benjamin Kramer, formerly of Co. B, 26th 111. Inf., took 
us to Shannon, where we boarded the early morning train for 
Des Moines. At the latter city we changed cars and stepped 
on the regular train on the Chicago, Great Western R. R. for 
Creston, Iowa, At the latter place we took the Creston & 
Southwestern branch of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy, 
arriving at Bedford about 11 :00 A. M. After dinner we can- 
vassed the town and soon found out that there was a good 
racket store at Bedford. 



MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 143 

We knew there were other good towns in which we would 
have no competition. We remained at the county seat about 
three days, examined our state map, and concluded to locate 
at Melbourne, Marshall Co., Iowa. The latter village was at 
the junction of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul R. R. with 
the Chicago and Great Western. 

There was quite a colony in the town and vicinity from 
Carroll County, Illinois, with a number of whom we were 
well acquainted. Indeed the surrounding country was one 
of the garden spots of Iowa. We met one of our former 
friends, William Wulke, formerly of Carroll County, and 
engaged to live with him during our stay in Melbourne. 
There was in the village one vacant store room, owned by 
Comrade William Wenzel, formerly of Pennsylvania. 

In the meantime we rented the store-room of Mr. Wenzel 
and ordered our goods to be sent to Melbourne. Our store 
was cleaned up, goods unpacked and an extra display and 
side line put down in the show windows facing Main Street. 
On the south side of the store we put down five and ten cent 
counters, on which were displayed to good advantage, Yan- 
kee notions, tinware and wooden ware. On the north side we 
had on display novels, toilet and laundry soaps, cigars, to- 
baccos and dry goods. The village of Melbourne contained 
in the spring of 1892, one drug store, one bank, one furniture 
store, one farming implement store, two hotels, and two 
general stores, and one High school. 

The store adjoining me on the south, commanded a good 
trade and I soon found out that they were awful afraid I 
would stock up with a line of groceries in competition with 
them. Indeed, I think I overheard the managers of the 
adjoining store talking with their friends against my store, 
in order to injure my trade and advise their customers 
against me. 

Well, we ran the store until about the first of September, 
settled with Mr. Wulke for our board bill and concluded to 
pack our goods, leave the town, and hunt up a new and 
better location. We should have had a good fair trade but 
for the ingratitude of the citizens. The young men in town 
and country wanted me to remain and start a tobacco store. 
We have never been inside the village since we left, sixteen 
years ago. Wm. Wulke, whose wife was formerly Miss Anna 



144 MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

Bast of Carroll County, 111., was a straight and honest man 
and good citizen. 

We ordered our goods shipped to Cedar Falls, Iowa. 
On or about the first of September, we went direct to Mar- 
shalltown, Marshall County, Iowa, and remained there until 
the next day after dinner. 

One of our well-to-do farmers, Mr. Walker, who lived 
about four miles west of Melbourne, gave me before I left, 
a deed which he wanted me to have recorded for him at the 
County Clerk's office, in Marshalltown. I became acquainted 
with Mr. Walker while helping him to put up his harvest. 
He was formerly from Pennsylvania. After dinner we left 
town and came via the Chicago and Great Western to Hud- 
son, Black Hawk County, Iowa, in the vicinity of which 
town, we secured a job of shocking oats and threshing, for 
nearly a week, after which we left town for Waterloo, Iowa. 

We were with a threshing outfit of farmers about seven 
miles southwest of Waterloo, where we met an old-time 
friend, Mr. John Mattingly, and one of his sons, formerly of 
Shannon, 111. Mr. Mattingly owned a fine farm seven miles 
southwest of Waterloo, near Black Hawk River. He for- 
merly had two brothers living in Shannon, George, now of 
Chicago, and Thomas, of Shannon, who is now a prominent 
member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. Com- 
rade John Mattingly was in the Civil War and fought in 
defense of American institutions and the nullification of the 
States Rights Doctrine. 

We remained in and around Waterloo probably ten days 
or more, when we departed for Cedar Falls, Iowa. The 
city of Waterloo is the county seat of Black Hawk County, 
Iowa, and is divided by the Red Cedar River into E'ast and 
West Waterloo. The city contained in 1906 18,800 inhabit- 
ants. 

We reached Cedar Falls, on Cedar River, in Black Hawk 
County, and remained in town a few days to canvass the 
city and view the Iowa State Normal School buildings. 
Cedar Falls is a thriving and enterprising town, well built, 
and surrounded by a, beautiful farming country. It is ninety 
miles west of Dubuque, on the Illinois Central and Chcago 
and Great Western railroads, and contained at the census 
of 1890, 5,300 inhabitants. 

In the course of a few days we took our departure for 



MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 145 

Ackley, Hardin County, Iowa, at the crossing of the Iowa 
and Illinois Central railways. We stopped in town until 
morning, when we proceeded into the country about seven 
miles southwest of town, where we struck a good job of 
haying with Henry Fossler, formerly of Adeline, Illinois. 
Mr. Fossler was managing a large farm, a part of which 
was owned by his father, who resided and made his home in 
Ackley. His wife, who was a most estimable woman, was 
formerly Miss Mogle, a, prominent school teacher, years ago, 
in Stephenson County, Illinois. He was a good man to work 
for, and a good practical farmer. 

After we wound up his hay crop, nearly two weeks' 
work, I told Mr. Fossler if he would take me to Ackley, I 
thought I would take the train for Storm Lake, Buena 
Vista County, Iowa. I reached the latter town about 5:00 
P. M., and left for Alta in the same county about 6 :00 P. M. 
My youngest brother John, who made his home with James 
M. Willfong and family, who lived near Alta, happened to 
be in town. Of course my brother was surprised, and we 
were indeed pleased to meet each other cgain. 

After a social chat with my brother for a half hour, we 
went together and called on James M. Willfong and family, 
with whom he made his home. Mr. Willfong lived about one 
mile north of Alta, Buena Vista County, Iowa. We remained 
here about a week, found the folks all very well, and they 
were very much pleased with the country. James' young- 
est son, Thomas, had a good position at the Alta Elevator 
Company, William had rented a farm about three miles 
southwest of town, Martin bought a farm two miles north- 
west of Alta, containing one hundred and twenty acres, and 
George was farming a large farm which he had bought, 
about six miles east of Mason City, Iowa. Mr. Willfong was 
engaged in the cultivation of a large market garden, raising 
musk melons, water melons, potatoes and other vegetation. 

We were aware years ago that there was quite a colony in 
the vicinity of Storm Lake, Alta and Aurelia from Carroll 
County, Illinois. We were invited to visit the following old- 
time jiriends in Buena Vista, County: Elias Forney and 
family, David C. Forney, Joseph Templeman, Martin Grove 
and family, Daniel Kline and family, and James Templeman 
and family. We found our friends all well and prospering. 

In about one week we concluded to run into Sioux City, 



146 MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

to find employment, and work at any thing by which we 
could make an honest living. On looking over the signs 
advertising for men in the city, we noticed men were wanted 
for all kinds of work all over town. We secured work with 
a foreman from Omaha. We had a number of jobs on West 
Seventh and Jackson Streets, putting down ornamental 
work in fire-places and inside of doors and corridors. Our 
work was to mix cement, wash the variegated blocks, and 
tend the foreman. 

After the completion of our work at a number of fine 
private residences in the city, we accompanied our foreman 
to the depot and he returned to his home at Omaha. We 
looked around the city again and hired with a large dairy 
firm, about one mile east of town. Our work was the feeding 
and milking of seventy-five cows. The milk was sold in the 
city by one of the managers, who 1 made regular trips every 
day with the milk wagon into Sioux City. We received 
twenty dollars per month for our services in the dairy, all the 
milk to drink we required, and good substantial board 
(three square meals a day). 

Before we take leave of Sioux City, we shall take the 
liberty and reserve the right to scatter a few bouquets over 
the city, in grateful remembrance of past favors bestowed 
upon us by the business citizens of the prosperous city on 
the Missouri River. Sioux City is the county seat of Wood- 
bury County, Iowa, is finely located on the Missouri River, 
and on the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha, Chicago 
& Northwestern, Sioux City & Northern, Chicago, Milwaukee 
& St. Paul, Illinois Central and Chicago, Burlington & Quincy 
railroads. Sioux City is situated in an extensive corn-grow- 
ing and stock-raising region. There are flouring and grist 
mills, foundries, machine shops, meat packing establishments, 
saddlery and harness manufactories, and a brewery. A fea- 
ture of historical interest is the Floyd Monument, which is 
erected in memory of a member of the Lewis and Clark Ex- 
pedition, who died and was buried here. When we lived 
in the city we were struck with the sympathetic kindness and 
whole-souled hospitality of its citizens. If a man wanted 
work, he was supplied, at good wages, in less than twenty- 
four hours. 

A dairy in the fall and winter is no snap position, and 
milking is a cold job. During the severity of cold weather 



MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 147 

many a man and woman has frozen their fingers and feet. 
We settled with the managers and returned to the city, 
stopped over night, purchased a ticket at the Illinois Cen- 
tral depot, and returned via LeMars and Cherokee, to Alta. 
We made our home a portion of the time with Comrade 
James M. Willfong, who was a sergeant in Co. H, 15th 111. 
Infantry during the close of the Civil War. 

His son, Martin, received the Chicago Weekly Inter- 
Ocean, which excellent paper he loaned us to read occasion- 
ally. Thomas took the Alta Advertizer and Storm Lake 
Tribune, and through the kindness of the editors at Alta 
we were supplied with numerous exchanges from time to 
time. Mr. John Straub, my youngest brother, took the Sioux 
City Daily Journal, which has been conceded by other Iowa 
papers to be the greatest, newsiest and most up-to-date daily 
paper in the state. 

We continued to make our home in the vicinity of Alta 
during the fall of 1892. We were engaged in working for 
our neighbors on the farms, threshing and husking corn, up 
to the middle of November, though some farmers, who had 
big crops, did not get done until late in December. 

One day, in December, we met Mr. Elias Forney, who 
lived near the northwest edge of town. He told me he 
would like to have me live with him during the winter. 
He said he and Mrs. Forney desired to visit old friends and 
relatives during the holidays. He had a good buggy team of 
white horses he wanted me to take charge of, and keep up 
the fires in the house, and save the flowers from freezing. 
I think we went to live with them about the middle of De- 
cember. 

Mr. and Mrs. Forney made their first visit to their son, 
Peter, who lived down in Woodbury County, some twenty- 
five miles east of Sioux City. They were gone about two 
weeks and seemed to enjoy their outing very much. They 
both belonged to the Dunkard or German Baptist Church. 
Their next visit was to Canton, South Dakota, in which town 
and Lincoln County they had numerous friends and relatives, 
David C. Forney's eldest daughter, Ethel, was with them 
on this outing into South Dakota. 

During their visit we had a number of callers, who came 
to pay their respects and have a social chat with us about 



148 MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

Iowa and Illinois, from which latter state they had emi- 
grated. 

The weather in Northern Iowa sometimes is very severe 
and cold, but we had a good base burner and sometimes had 
a good fire in the kitchen stove, which made our home very 
comfortable. We had books, newspapers, and our violin, 
with which to pass the time. 

There were a number of very severe blizzards, while we 
were living with Mr Forney ; they were sometimes preceded 
by lightning and thunder, and frequently blockaded the 
railroads for several days. The snow drifted around the 
barn from ten to twelve feet high. 

Mr. Forney's son, David, was one of the best horsemen 
in the County. He always made it a habit to give his teams 
plenty of time to eat their meals and rest after dinner, 
sometimes one hour and a half. He was a good practical 
farmer and took the best care of all his stock. His wife was 
formerly Miss Ida Grove, a sister to Martin Grove, of Lyon 
County, Minn. They had four children, Hazel, Ethel and 
Charles and another whose name is unknown to us. Mr. 
Forney died in Iowa., I think, over ten years ago. His 
father and mother died in Buena Vista County. 

Soon after the holidays my brother returned to Freeport, 
Illinois, and finally came on to Spring Valley, Carroll Co., 
to help his brother Wilson carry on the farm work. We 
remained with Mr. Forney until near the 4th of July. In 
connection with his town property he owned forty acres of 
good land, the most of which was in pasture, and he had an 
orchard of about four acres. When spring came in we 
planted about two acres of potatoes and in addition culti- 
vated a truck patch of about two acres. We planted beets, 
cabbage, sweet corn, radishes, tomatoes, peas, beans, musk- 
melons and watermelons. We had a good crop of every- 
thing we planted and before the Fourth of July the whole 
garden was in bloom and on the boom, and the quality hard 
to beat in the vicinity of Alta and surrounding country. 

After we finished the cultivation of the garden we de- 
cided to take a little outing to Maurice, Sioux Co., Iowa. On 
the evening of the 3d of July we took the regular train at 
Alta, on the Illinois Central Railroad and went to Le Mars, 
Plymouth County., where on the following day we took in 
the celebration of the 4th of July. The program for the 



MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 149 

Fourth was a good one, a fine parade was carried out which 
consisted of a grand display of agricultural machinery and 
other interesting amusements and entertainments, all of 
which elicited the applause of the patriotic crowd in town. 
About five o'clock we went to the depot of the Sioux City 
and Northern R. R. and took the train for Maurice, at which 
town a celebration of the Fourth had occurred the same day. 
The sole object of our call at the latter town was to pay a 
visit the next day to Comrade Pierson Baker, who lived 
about three miles north of Maurice, in Sioux County, Iowa. 

It so happened that Mr. Baker and his family were all 
in town attending the celebration, and in the course of an 
hour we met him on the street, but as we had not met each 
other for about fifteen years, he hardly knew us right away, 
but in conversation soon recognized us. He said they had 
had a fine time in Maurice to-day. A fine street parade, a 
big attendance, and all who attended had enjoyed themselves 
and expressed themselves well satisfied with the Fourth of 
July outing and demonstration. We remained in town until 
morning, and about ten A. M. we went out to Mr. Baker's 
farm and found the folks all very well and they seemed to 
be much pleased with their new home and Sioux County. 
He had bought ninety acres three miles north of Maurice 
and six miles west of the county seat, Orange City. His two 
sons, Frank and Preston, carried on the farm work, and 
they informed me that they had an excellent crop of every- 
thing they had put out. He had a gang of men engaged in 
raising and repairing his house. 

Comrade Baker when he left Penna, moved on a farm 
six miles north of Ashton, Illinois. He then afterwards emi- 
grated to Sac County, Iowa, where he lived a number of 
years. He next moved into Sioux County, Iowa, thirty-six 
miles north of Sioux City, where he bought a fine farm. His 
wife was formerly Miss Malinda Ling, of Dekalb Co., Ills. 
She is a fine housekeeper, a very kind and most estimable 
lad\. They had, when I last visited them, six daughters and 
two sons. Of course we had a big social chat about our 
school days together and recollections of the late Civil War. 

We took a little outing to Maurice and Orange City and 
could see two miles east the town of Alton, Sioux County, 
Iowa, 



CHAPTER XX. 



In the Harvest Fields of Iowa — County 
Fair at Alta. 

Our next employment was shocking and harvesting about 
three miles southwest of Manilla, where we remained until 
after harvest. We soon formed the acquaintance of a young 
man by the name of William Mitchell who wanted a hand 
and driver to help him run a corn sheller in the vicinity of 
Astor and other neighboring towns in the county. We took 
no fancy to the job, but as hands were scarce in that section 
of the country, we engaged with Mitchell to run or drive his 
horse power during the shelling season. 

Our first shelling was at Astor, on the Chicago, Savanna 
and Council Bluffs railroad. We next moved west to Bell 
City, which village was also located on the C, M. and St. 
Paul railroad. Here we struck a big job of some two weeks 
shelling. I think we shelled over thirteen thousand bushels. 
When trains passed us near by, we were obliged to hold our 
teams to keep them from running off and smashing the 
horse power. Sometimes we got tired standing on the power 
and exchanged work with the shovelers, and of course, in- 
side the crib we were in the shade, and not exposed to the 
scorching rays of the August sun. But Mitchell and some 
of the hands said I was the best driver on the job and was 
requested by Mitchell to mount the power again, increase the 
speed, and of course, facilitate the transaction. 

One day, about two P. M., two foreigners appeared on the 
railroad track coming from the west, with a large cinnamon 



MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 151 

colored bear. The men stopped in the village about an 
hour and gave a free exhibition with old bruin, singing, 
dancing and wrestling being on the program, all of which 
elicited the applause of the shellers and citizens. After the 
side show the men and bear left for the next town, Dow City, 
Crawford Co. 

While we were visiting with Mr. Baker his home papers 
gave an account of the terrible cyclone, which came in from 
the southwest, passing Le Mars, Aurelia, Alta and Storm 
Lake, Iowa. It also passed Fonda, Pomeroy and Manson. 
Farm houses, barns, and school houses were destroyed. A 
good many people saved their lives by taking shelter in the 
storm caves. My two cousins, Sarah and Wilson G. Straub, 
who lived six miles southwest of Manson, had bought a book 
which gave a correct account of the horrible storm twister. 
The town of Pomeroy, Calhoun Co., was nearly all destroyed. 
I was at the latter town about one month after the storm 
and was told by the citizens that two cyclones had met each 
other here, one from the southwest and the other from the 
northwest. I talked with a survivor and citizen, who told 
me he had been picked up by the twister and carried into 
the air some forty or fifty feet and landed on the street 
again without being killed. But he told me he was sprained 
and sore yet from his awful ascension. We have forgotten 
the number injured and the loss of life. The path of the 
storm presented a ghastly appearance, large trees were torn 
up by the roots, clothing and farming implements scattered 
and torn to pieces. 

We took leave of our friends on Saturday morning. Mr. 
Baker took us to Le Mars, from which city we departed for 
Manilla, Crawford County, Iowa. Our intention of passing 
into the above county was to take in the haying, harvesting 
and corn shelling. We reached Manilla on our birthday, 
July 14th, 1893, and were told in the afternoon that a farmer 
north of town was in need of harvest hands and hay makers. 
One job advertised another and we had steady work right 
along. 

After the wind up of the big shelling job at Bell City, 
about the middle of August, we loaded up the horse power 
again and pulled off for home near Astor. We reached Buck 
Grove the first day but were compelled to remain near the 
village over night on account of a heavy thunder shower 



152 MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

occurring during the night. Mitchell wanted to start for 
home after the shower, but we told him it would be im- 
possible for our teams to pull the power and sheller up the 
muddy hills on the road. 

We started for home the next morning, and before we got 
home the next day, in the language of the Pennsylvania 
democrat, on the civil war, it proved to be a big breakfast 
job. Mitchell made his home with his brother-in-law, which 
place we reached about sundown, two miles southwest of 
Astor. We stopped with the folks a few days resting up and 
choring around, and soon decided that we would return to 
Alta again via Dennison, Logan and Onawa. 

We packed our valise again, and about nine o'clock A. 
M. left for Dennison, the county seat of Crawford Co., Iowa, 
at which place we arrived about five o'clock P. M. Here 
we took supper and then traveled on for Woodbine and 
Logan, which latter town is the county seat of Harrison 
Co. On reaching the latter town we put up at one of the 
best hotels, took supper, and after viewing the town awhile 
for exercise, we retired for the night. 

Logan is the county seat of Harrison County, on the 
Boyer River and on the Chicago and Northwestern railroad, 
eight miles east of Mo. Valley and thirty-one miles north- 
east, by railroad, from Council Bluffs. The town is finely 
located on a rising elevation, surrounded by a fine section of 
country and contained, at the census of 1900, nearly fourteen 
hundred people. 

After remaining in Logan a few days, and finding work 
scarce, we resolved to travel through to Onawa, Monona Co., 
via Magnolia, the old county seat. We reached the latter 
town shortly before noon, which was formerly the only 
county seat in the State, (1893), without a railroad. The 
town is pleasantly located on a rising elevation and rolling 
r>rqirie, and contained at that time, I judge, about five 
hundred people. 

Remaining in the town over night, we caught a chance 
in the morning to ride with a party of hay makers for about 
ten miles northwest towards Onawa. When night came on 
we called at a comfortable farm house, and as we still wore 
the old bronze button, the boss and owner of the farm said 
we could ride with him and his family to Blencoe, as they 
had to go shopping to that town. On reaching the latter 



MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 153 

town, we walked into the hotel and asked the proprietor 
if we could stop with him over night. His partner soon came 
in, to whom he remarked, ' ' Yes, Tom, he is all right, we shall 
find a good room for him, you see he wears the old bronze 
button." 

In the morning we moved on for Onawa, seven miles by- 
railroad from Blencoe. We remained at the county seat, 
Onawa, until about two o 'clock P. M. We bought a stock of 
Yankee notions at the racket store, and our intention was to 
peddle through the country eastward until we struck a job 
of haying or threshing. At about two P. M. we left town 
and reached Turin, on the Chicago and Northwestern, about 
five P. M., in which village we put up at a private boarding 
house over Sunday. 

Monday morning we moved on northeastward through 
Castana, Danbury, Battle Creek, Mapleton and thence into 
Ida Grove, the county seat of Ida Co., on Maple River. Here 
we haulted to see the town. 

When one passes into a good town and good county he is 
in no particular hurry to leave that section of country until 
he makes inquiry if there has been any demand for men in 
haying or harvest time. On the contrary, if work is scarce 
and no demand for hands a man soon moves on into another 
county. We have heard men remark, that some farmers 
won't hire a stranger. Right here we shall contradict that 
opinion and claim that if a farmer needs hands he don't 
hesitate to hire strangers in five minutes. I have engaged 
with farmers and railroad men to work for them and had 
never met them before. 

Ida Grove is a good and well built town on Maple River. 
There is a beautiful grove about two miles northwest of 
town from which the place doutless derives its name. It con- 
tained at the census of 1900 about 2,000 inhabitants. We 
rode out of town with a gentleman at about ten o'clock A. 
M., our destination being Sac City, Sac County, Iowa. When 
we had traveled about some fifteen miles northeast of town 
we began to halt and stop right there and look around 
to admire one of the most beautiful sections of rolling 
prairie we had ever seen in the state. The scope of country 
to which we refer was, I think, some twenty miles south and 
west of Alta and Storm Lake, Iowa. 

We stopped at a nice home about ten miles northeast of 



154 MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

the county seat and took dinner with a kind young married 
couple, both of whom entertained me in a concert with violin 
and organ. 

About six miles south of Schaller we met a farmer who 
was hunting up hands to help him do his threshing. He 
told me the county fair was coming at Alta. We went home 
with the farmer, who lived about six miles south of Schaller 
and stopped over night with him. The threshing machine 
pulled in also after we came, but as they were not sure of 
getting enough hands to commence work in the morning 
they did not set up the machine. After sundown the farmer 
came home and informed the threshers that his hands and 
neighbors refused to come and help him thresh out his crop 
until the county fair at Alta was over. Of course we needed 
work and money, but I reckon the fair took in the most 
loose change. 

I formed the idea that I would move on to Sac City with 
the hope of getting a job of haying. Some ten miles west of 
the latter town I met one of the business men of the city 
and rode into the county seat with him. We remained in 
town until about two o'clock P. M., ate a few muskmelons 
and then moved on for the Twin Lakes, a summer resort, 
about twelve miles southwest of Manson, Calhoun County. 

When we were some fifteen miles northeast of Sac City, 
near sundown, we stopped at a farm house for supper. The 
young lady of the house, who said she was formerly a 
Wisconsin school teacher, informed me that I could have 
supper. Her husband was threshing at one of their neigh- 
bors.. The intelligent young lady told me I could remain 
over night with them, but I thanked her, and told her I had 
two cousins six miles east of the Twin Lakes and that I pre- 
ferred to go through during the night in order to avoid the 
intense heat in the day time. Before I reached the Lakes I 
became sleepy and dropped down a couple of times on the 
edge of a hay pile and probably slept a couple of hours. 

On the approach of daylight we noticed the Lakes loom- 
ing up about two miles off to the eastward, and when the sun 
rose they presented a dazzling and luminous appearance. 
About six o'clock we were at Twin Lakes. There is a num- 
ber of substantial buildings, a tobacco and Yankee notion 
store and a fine hotel. Numerous species of fish abound in 



MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 155 

the Lakes, and fishing is said to be a favorite amusement 
during the summer season. 

At about nine o'clock A. M. we started for our cousins' 
home, six miles east of the summer resort, and got through 
at about twelve o'clock, noon. One of my sousins, the late 
Wilson G. Straub, was absent from home threshing for one 
of his neighbors, but returned home about two P. M. My 
other cousin, Miss Sarah, was at home and knew me im- 
mediately. We informed them that we had been down in 
Crawford Co. taking in the haying and harvest. We found 
the folks reasonably well and enjoying the quiet walk of life. 
They owned a quarter section of good land, had lots of hay 
and good crops of oats and corn. Wilson had a lot of hay 
cut and piled up ready to haul in and stack, and of course, 
he was glad to get help for a few days to get his hay crop 
all stacked. 

In Iowa the farmers had a new plan of carting hay; a 
team of horses was hitched to a heavy pole and the driver 
stood on the center and drove to the end of a win-row, and 
when he had mopped up all the team could pull he drove for 
the hay stack. The new way was called bucking hay in the 
field and on the prairies. My cousin remarked that he liked 
to work in the hay when he had a man to help him until he 
was done. 

Remaining over Sunday with Mr. W. G. Straub, we 
made up our mind we would return to Alta, via Pomeroy and 
Storm Lake. We pulled into Pomeroy about one o'clock 
P. M. and laid over in town probably two hours, viewing 
the wreck of destruction caused by the horrible cyclone, 
which had nearly destroyed the whole town on July 6th, 
1893. 

On our way to Storm Lake we were very fortunate in 
getting several rides with strangers and others. On reach- 
ing the latter town and summer resort about eight P. M., 
we met with another gentleman, who lived between Storm 
Lake and Alta, and rode with him to within about two miles 
of Alta. We arrived at the latter town about nine o'clock 
P. M. and called on our friends, James M. Willfong and 
family, with whom we lived until the beginning of December. 

Nothing occurred of any consequence before the holidays 
except now and then a rabbit hunt and visit the neighbor- 
ing towns occasionally. 



156 MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

Along in December we received word that our friend 
Joseph Templeman, who lived on the William Parker farm, 
about three miles southeast of Alta, wanted a man to live 
with him during the winter, choring, milking and watering 
stock. 

Mr. Templeman had bought a farm about seven miles 
northeast of Sioux Rapids and his eldest son Bert and 
mother, Mrs. Delia Templeman, had moved on the new 
home early in the fall. Frank desired to attend the district 
school south of Alta, and Bert to go to school near their new 
home in Clay Co., Iowa. We had some good books with us, 
our fife and violin, and after Mr. Templeman butchered and 
killed a fine beef, the winter passed swiftly and impercept- 
ibly away. 

The winter of 1894 was at intervals rough, severe and 
cold, good sleighing at different times, and everybody happy 
at the approach of the holidays. We had callers and visitors 
every week, fife and violin music, and were all close ob- 
servers of the Shannon Weekly Express and Sioux City 
Semi- Weekly Journal. Frank was passing his evenings 
reading a large book entitled, Earth, Sea and Sky. 

Along the beginning of March Mr. Templeman began 
making preparations for moving to his new home, which 
he had bought in Clay County, some twenty miles or more 
northeast of Alta. He made several trips in the fall and 
during February, hauling coal and machinery. When he 
shipped his stock he secured the services of an able and 
experienced driver, Mr. Paul Munn, at which time they 
removed all the cattle to their farm in one drove. 

After Frank and his father moved to their farm, I moved 
back to Mr. Willfong's country home again. Of course we 
all had to wait until spring came before we could get any 
work to do. In the meantime, I was a newsboy between 
times and sold the Chicago Record, Des Moines Daily News 
and St. Louis Globe-Democrat. There was a Camp of the 
Sons of Veterans and a Post of the Grand Army of the 
Republic at Alta, and when Memorial Day came around 
we always attended the beautiful services at the cemetery 
near town. 

When my birthday, the 14th of July, came in, I took a 
fishing trip to Storm Lake. The day was warm and pleasant, 
but rather windy in the afternoon. I caught a small mess 



MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 157 

of fish and about five o'clock returned to Alta again. The 
lake abounded with different species of fish, perch, catfish, 
pike and pickerel. 

When we got back home to Alta, Comrade Daniel Kline, 
Sr., called to see us and told me that his son Daniel wanted 
me to come out to his farm in the morning and help him 
put up his harvest and stack his grain. Mr. Kline told me 
he would take me out to the farm in the morning. I said 
all right I'm with you. 

His son lived about six miles northeast of Alta on a rented 
farm of one hundred and sixty acres. His crop consisted 
of hay, barley and oats and was a good fair yield all around. 
Our first job after we reached Mr. Kline's farm was to dig a 
new well sbout one-half mile east of his house and barn. 
We sunk the well down about twelve feet, struck a gravelly 
bottom and before night we had come onto a vein of pure 
running water, enough for family use and all the stock on 
the farm. We immediately set to work cribbing up the well 
and in the morning were rewarded with about, I think, four 
feet of excellent water. 

Our next job en the program was stacking about ten 
acres of barley, after which we put up the hay crop, and 
when his oats crop was fit and ripe enough to cut we pro- 
ceeded to wind up his harvest and put it all up on shock. 
Mr. Kline was a good man to work for, and he and his 
father were both good practical cigarmakers, formerly in 
Alta. 

Daniel Kline, Jr., had a smart looking baby, a son, prob- 
ably about nine months or a year old. He named the child 
after Gov. Wm. McKinley, of Ohio. One day when we were 
at the house together, I suggested to him that we ought to 
write a letter to Gov. McKinley, who was then governor of 
Ohio, and give him a formal introduction to Wm. McKinley 
Kline, of Buena Vist Co., Iowa. Mr. Kline remarked that if 
I wished to inform the governor that he had named his son 
after him I could do so. The letter was soon written up by us 
and directed to Gov. Wm. McKinley, Columbus, Ohio. We 
informed Mr. McKinley that the boy's grandfather, Daniel 
Kline, Sr., was formerly a member of the 70th Ohio Infantry 
in the Civil War, and was born at Cincinnati, Hamilton Co., 
Ohio. We told him the child's mother was formerly Miss 
Orton of Michigan, and was a very kind and highly esteemed 



158 MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

woman, with a large circle of friends in Michigan and Iowa, 
that his grandmother was a refined English lady and most 
estimable woman with hosts of friends. We advised the 
governor to address his letter to Daniel Kline Jr., Alta, 
Buena Vista Co., Iowa. 

In the course of about two weeks, Mr. Kline received a 
letter postmarked Columbus, Ohio, in which the governor 
acknowledged the receipt of the Communication and thanked 
Mr. Kline ever so much for naming his youngest son after 
him. He expressed the wish that his son would have a 
strenuous and successful career, a bright and prosperous 
future. Both Mr. Kline and his son Daniel were ardent 
admirers of President McKinley. Mr. Kline handed the 
letter to me to read and told me no silver dollar would buy 
it and that he would keep it for a future souvenir. 

We returned to Alta and made our home at that town 
until about the middle of August, 1894. On account of a 
prevailing drouth in the county, work in that section was 
scarce. We therefore formed the idea that we would pull 
out of the county and strike for the big hay fields in Kossuth 
County, Northern Iowa. Things never turn up in this world 
unless somebody turns them up,( J. A. Garfield). We packed 
our best valise with good substantial clothing. After dinner 
we left Alta and traveled in a northwest direction, passing 
Storm Lake to the west about four miles. Of course, after 
that, via Pocahontas, Rolfe, Algona, and Bancroft to Led- 
yard and Germania. On our way there was no demand for 
men in the hay fields. We traveled for a few days, day and 
night, in order to get through as soon as possible and avoid 
the excessive heat during the daytime. 

On the last day's march, we met a gentleman from Dallas 
County, Iowa, about ten miles north of Algona, he had a 
good spring wagon and good team of horses. We haulted 
on the roadside, fed the team and had our dinner together. 
He said we had about twenty miles yet to Ledyard and 
would get through to that town about sundown. He told me 
he was going to rent a farm west of Ledyard and leave 
Dallas County. It was very near night when we reached 
the latter town. After thanking my companion for the big 
welcome ride we separated. It was Saturday night and the 
next thing on the program was to engage a boarding house 
and remain over Sunday. 



CHAPTER XXI. 



Return to Illinois — Farmer and Country Merchant — 
At Illinois and Wisconsin State Fairs. 

The haying season was about half through with, but 
after that the hay presses would be under headway. We 
found good boarding and lodging in town, and on Monday 
we struck a big job of haying for nearly six weeks. We met 
a big firm from Germania whose names were Jacob Rink, 
Charles Schultz and Charles Knapp. I told Mr. Knapp that 
I expected a letter at Ledyard and would return in the 
evening to Germania. He said if you can get two more good 
hands, send them on. When I got to Ledyard I hired 
another man, Ray Estill, from Traver, Tama County, Iowa. 
We both reached Germania about eight o'clock in the eve- 
ning and took supper at Charles Knapp 's boarding house 
and home. 

The haying firm now had a working force of six men. 
One good team was constantly engaged in bucking the hay 
to the stack, two men pitching from the ground and two 
stacking all the time. We had about four miles northeast 
to the hay fields from town, and when we went home to 
Germania at night, we generally hauled two loads of hay 
with us to town. Of course we always took our dinners 
with us to the hay fields. 

The town of Germania is located on the Chicago, Rock 
Island and Pacific railroad, ninety miles northwest of Iowa 
Falls and thirty-nine miles east of Estherville, in Kossuth Co. 



160 MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

Another branch road now connects the town with Albert 
Lea, Minn. The country seems to be well adapted to the 
raising of flax, corn, oats and wheat, but the main business 
of both town and country, is the bailing and shipping of wild 
prairie hay to different sections of the country. 

About the middle of September the haying season was 
nearly over and the hay presses were soon running in full 
blast. We had some extreme hot spells of weather in Sep- 
tember, and near the middle of the month the men were 
nearly all sick with summer complaint for a few days. 

Along the latter part of the month we decided to return 
via Bancroft, Goldfield and Iowa Palls to Storm Lake. On 
reaching Iowa Falls we became sick with malaria fever and 
were obliged to remain there nearly a week until we felt 
much better. We attributed the change of water as the 
cause of our sickness. 

During the beginning of October a political campaign 
was approaching for the election of a governor in Iowa and 
a big rally was announced to come off at Carters Grove. The 
principal speakers announced to expound the political issues 
of the day were, the Hon. David B. Henderson, member of 
Congress, and William A. Allison, U. S. Senator, of Dubuque, 
Iowa, both of whom made unanswerable addresses, and 
elicited the applause of the entire audience at the meeting. 

The Hon. D. B. Henderson enlisted as a private in 1861 
in the Twelfth Eegiment, Iowa Volunteer Infantry, was 
elected and commissioned 1st lieutenant of Company C, and 
served until discharged, Feb. 26th, 1863, owing to the loss 
of a leg at the battle of Corinth. From May, 1863, to June, 
1864, he was commissioner of the board of enrollment of the 
Third Iowa District, and then re-entered the army as Col. 
of the 46th Iowa Volunteer Infantry, in which rank he 
served to the close of the war. In 1899, at the organization 
of the Fifty-sixth Congress he was elected to succeed the 
Hon. Thomas B. Reed, resigned, as Speaker of the Federal 
House of Representatives. 

At the close of the big rally we returned to Iowa Falls 
and after we recovered from our recent illness we returned 
to Alta, Buena Vista Co., Iowa. 

When the beginning of October came around we in- 
quired among the farmers for employment in the corn field 
and other work. We soon met a gentleman, a good practical 



MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 161 

farmer, who lived on a large farm two miles southeast of 
Cherokee, Iowa, whose name was William Posten. He had a 
fine patch of potatoes he wanted stored in the cellar and 
some threshing with his neighbors, exchanging work, 
etc. In a short time his potatoes were extracted from the 
ground and conveyed to the cellar for home consumption. 
We next succeeded in threshing out our neighbors, all of 
whom, at night, retreated to their homes unharmed. Our 
neighbors all had fine crops of oats, potatoes, corn, etc. 

Along the beginning of October we were given a good 
team with instructions to go into the corn field and husk 
corn at three cents a bushel until all the crop was all in the 
crib. Mr. Posten, I think, had about two hundred acres of 
good corn. In a couple of weeks two young men came down 
from North Dakota, in which State they had been employed 
during the threshing season. They were furnished immedi- 
ately with good teams and wagons and sent into the corn 
field to husk at the rate of three cents per bushel, to weigh 
and crib the same until further orders. One of the boys, 
William Beeler, was an engineer from Michigan. They were 
both good huskers and all hands meant business. 

Mr. Posten was a good honest man to work for and sure 
pay. His wife, formerly a resident of near Mason City, 
Iowa, was a fine practical housekeeper and excellent teacher 
of Cerro Gordo County, Iowa. They had two nice children, 
a boy and girl. Their nearest neighbors were formerly 
from Pennsylvania. When Thanksgiving day came around 
the lady served us a fine dinner, and of course, the best was 
none too good for industrious farm hands. Before husking 
was wound up we also laid off Mr. Posten 's fall plowing 
about one mile southeast of Cherokee. 

On the approach of the State election we were prompted 
loy both duty and patriotism, to attend the election at Alta 
and vote for the Republican candidate, the Hon. Frank D. 
Jackson, for governor, whose election we predicted as a 
certainty, but both parties declared he would be defeated. 

We remained with Mr. Posten until he was nearly done 
Tiusking, and on account of the severity of the weather, 
and as we were subject to the unutterable tortures of 
rheumatism, we pleaded the privilege to pack our valise 
and return to Illinois. 



162 MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

From William Posten 's home we returned to James Will- 
fong's residence near Alta, where we remained with our 
friends a few days, before our departure for Freeport, 111. 
When December came we packed our trunk and bidding our 
friends and neighbors farewell for the present, we were 
conveyed to the Illinois Central depot at Alta by Martin 
Willfong, the eldest son of the late James M. Willfong, for- 
merly of Carroll County, Illinois. 

Our train was due, I think, about 1 :00 P. M., and passed 
through Storm Lake, Fort Dodge, Iowa Falls, Waterloo and 
Independence, reaching Dubuque about midnight. When 
we crossed the Father of Waters (Mississippi River) we ob- 
served that there had been a heavy fall of snow in Illinois, 
which made excellent sleighing between Dubuque and Free- 
port. We arrived at the latter city about 3 :00 o 'clock A. M., 
December 7th, 1895, having been absent from Illinois nearly 
four years. 

At Freeport we purchased a supply of tobacco, cigars, 
smoking and chewing, and opened up our little country store 
in Spring Valley again. For a small country store we had a 
brisk, continual trade through the holidays, and our old 
time neighbors, friends and relatives seemed to be pleased 
to meet us again. 

Our employment during the year consisted in helping my 
brothers with the farm work, keeping house and running 
my little country store. During the year of 1896 we recol- 
lect of nothing of any consequence except the arrival of our 
sister's eldest son, Henry A. Whitacre, from California. 
Henry and his cousin, William Whitacre, went through to 
the Coast over the Northern Pacific railroad, to Seattle and 
Portland, Oregon. They attended the Lewis and Clark Ex- 
position at Portland, and viewed the sights and scenes of 
the cities of Los Angeles and San Francisco, California. 
William was an experienced telegraph operator and held a 
paying position at Portland, Oregon. Henry found employ- 
ment in a restaurant, and was a clerk in one of the principal 
hotels nearly all winter. William held his position as rail- 
road operator at Portland and Henry returned home to 
Shannon, Illinois, in October, 1896. According to the young 
men's story they surely learned something in theory and 
practice, and undoubtedly profited by experience. 



MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 163 

1895 to 1900. 

From Iowa to Illinois — Farmer and Country Merchant. 

About the beginning of December, 1896, my father was 
stricken with paralysis. He had been sick for some two 
years before that time. The late Dr. John I. Smith, who was 
our family physician, was summoned, and by skillful treat- 
ment relieved him from time to time. During the holidays 
he was up and around occasionally, but after that he became 
worse and gradually became weaker. Along the first of 
February numerous visitors, neighbors and relatives called 
to see him and expressed much sorrow for the venerable 
gentleman. He lingered along until the 20th. of February, 
1897, becoming unconscious for nearly a day before he ex- 
pired. He died at 4 o'clock A. M., Saturday morning, Feb- 
ruary 20th, 1897. Had he lived until the 11th of March, he 
would have been 79 years of age. 

The funeral services were conducted at the M. E. Church 
by Rev. George Gable, on Monday, February 22d. A quartet 
composed of Rev. Geo. Gable, Clayton Good and Misses Bird 
Leonard and Delia Cook, with Mrs. George E. Ward as ac- 
companist, sweetly rendered some of the old Methodist 
hymns that were dear to the heart of the deceased, who, as 
long as his health permitted, always attended divine worship. 
He left to mourn their loss at that time three sons, Wilson, 
Edward and John, of Spring Valley, and one daughter, Mrs. 
Ellen Whitacre of Shannon, Illinois. The remains were 
quietly laid to rest in Shelley's Cemetery, one mile east of 
Shannon. 

School Director, Country Merchant and Farmer. 

During 1898 the thirty-second National Encampment 
came off at Cincinnati, Ohio, at which Col. James A. Sexton 
of Chicago was elected Commander-in-Chief. The next 
year (1899) the thirty-third convened at Philadelphia and 
Col. Albert D. Shaw of New York was elected Commander. 

In 1900 the thirty-fourth convened at Chicago, Illinois. 
Col. Putnam Post No. 646, G. A. R., attended in a body, and 
were satisfied with the entire program and grand reception 
by the metropolis of the great Middle West. We are firmly 
of the opinion that the great city formed the idea that the 
best was none too good for the ex-soldier boys. 



164 MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

Our regiment, the 7th Penn. Cavalry, held a, grand re- 
union at the Court House on Thursday, which was attended 
by nearly all who were in the city. Brig. Gen. Robert H. G-. 
Minty, of Ogden, Utah, who commanded the First Brigade, 
Second Division of Gen. Wilson's Cavalry, was present, and 
entertained the boys with a fine address 

Brig. Gen. Benjamin F. Pritchard, of Michigan, who was 
at the head of the command which captured Jefferson Davis 
and party at Irwinville, Ga., May 10th, 1865, was also pres- 
ent, and talked very kindly to the boys for half an hour. 
The boys were highly entertained at the Coliseum and other 
places of amusement. 

We met one of our company, Sergeant Wm. McNeal, of 
Akron, Ohio. We had supper together at a fine restaurant 
on Van Buren Street and surely enjoyed the quiet walk of 
life for nearly half a day. 

The most prominent and interesting feature of the grand 
re-union was the great parade of the Grand Army of the 
Republic on Wednesday. The parade marched north on 
Michigan Avenue, thence west to State Street, thence south 
and east to Michigan Avenue, on which street they were re- 
viewed by Col. A. D. Shaw, Commander-in-Chief, and Gen. 
Nelson A. Miles, Commander-in-Chief of the U. S. Regular 
Army. 

Farmer and Merchant. 

During 1901 and 1902 we recollect of nothing of any 
consequence, except the nomination of Hon. Wm. McKinley 
by the Republican Party, and Hon. Wm. J. Bryan by the 
Democratic Party, for President, at Chicago. 

In June, 1903, President Roosevelt returned from an ex- 
tended outing and tour on the Pacific Coast, to Freeport, 
111., at which city he dedicated a monument in commemora- 
tion of the Lincoln and Douglas debates, which occurred 
August 27th, 1858. The President spoke in front of the 
Court House to a large concourse of his fellow citizens and 
delivered a remarkable oration on the historical occasion. 
At 10 o'clock he left for Rockford and made a fine address 
to the vast crowd of people at Memorial Hall, at which place 
we saw the President for the first time in our life. We have 



MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 165 

seen the following" Presidents, namely, Benjamin Harrison, 
Rutherford B. Hayes, and Colonel Theodore Roosevelt. 

We have heard men of both the Republican and Demo- 
cratic parties declare that both James G. Blaine and Samuel 
J. Tilden were squarely elected President of the United 
States. Abraham Lincoln, James A. Garfield and Theodore 
Roosevelt were undoubtedly the greatest statesmen and 
ablest men ever elected President of the United States. 
When able men, of sincere and honest convictions, have been 
elected to a responsible office and through some damnable 
sleight of hand and preconcerted collusion are cheated out 
of the same it is a disgrace to Old Abe, the war eagle, and 
the American Constitution. We would be in favor of the 
enactment of a law which would render government officials 
ineligible as delegates to National conventions. Doctors, 
farmers, lawyers and merchants are just as competent as 
some legislators to nominate a good and honest man to 
supervise the business affairs of the American nation. If 
the above gentlemen cannot be trusted at conventions, they 
ought not to be trusted at elections. 

1900 to 1905. 
At Illinois State Fair, Sept., 1902. — At Wisconsin State Fair. 

As we had never visited Springfield, the State Capitol of 
Illinois, we resolved to attend the State Fair, view some of 
the sights and scenes of the beautiful city, visit Oak Ridge 
Cemetery and the Lincoln Monument. We went to Freeport 
the latter part of September, took the regular train on the 
Illinois Central railroad at 3 :00 A. M., and at 11 :00 A. M. 
we were in the city of Springfield. 

We did not attend the Fair the first day after our arrival 
in town, as we desired to see some of the prominent attrac- 
tions of the Capitol city. The next day, Wednesday, we 
boarded a street car and proceeded to the fair grounds. 
The program on the grounds was very attractive and inter- 
esting. Side shows, trotting, merry-go-rounds, making cider, 
and the display and exhibition of blooded stock, about as 
fine as we ever witnessed. In the language of the Buckeye 
showman, at Freeport, "What the eye sees, the heart must 
believe." 

Springfield is also the county seat of Sangamon County, 



166 MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

located about two miles south, of the Sangamon River, and 
is a thriving and rapidly growing city. The latest estimate 
puts the population of the town at 60,000. 

In September, 1904, we visited the Wisconsin State Fair 
at Milwaukee. The exhibits and display of blooded stock 
was just as good as at Springfield, and in some respects the 
Milwaukee Fair excelled the Illinois, especially in musical 
facilities. Eleven excellent bands discoursed up-to-date mu- 
sic during the entire fair. The display of fine buggies and 
agricultural implements, and beautiful ladies, was unsur- 
passed. 

We called to see our old time intimate friend, Mr. John 
Cowley, who holds a responsible position with Browning, 
King & Co. Mr. Cowley has one sister, Miss Jennie, and 
two brothers, Frank and Joseph, all of whom are good busi- 
ness men and reside in Chicago. 

Our Sister, Mrs. Ellen A. Whitacre, Passes Away, Sept. 24th, 

1904. 

In about two weeks after we returned from Milwaukee, 
my sister, Mrs. Ellen A. Whitacre, of Shannon, 111., became 
very sick and was reported in a dangerous condition. A 
telephone dispatch was sent from Shannon to the home of 
Mr. Fred Brinkmier and was promptly delivered by his son 
Frank to us in Spring Valley, informing us that our dear 
sister, Ellen, died at 9:00 o'clock P. M. in Shannon. Mrs. 
Whitacre had been sick for several years prior to her death 
and the opinion prevails that she was afflicted with nervous 
prostration. 

Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Whitacre were the parents of six 
children, two of whom died in infancy. The husband, four 
children, viz. : Mrs. Bessie Whitmore, Henry, James and 
John D. Whitacre, and two brothers still live to mourn their 
deep loss in this their sad hour of affliction. 

For several years Mrs. Whitacre had been a devoted 
member of the Methodist Church of Shannon, but of late 
years poor health prevented her attendance. Funeral ser- 
vices were conducted at the M. E. Church on Tuesday, 
September 27th, 1904, by the Rev. J. C. Spaulding, who now 
resides in Elgin, Illinois. The pall-bearers were Command- 



MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 167 

er Straw, Henry Burkett, Abraham Diehl, Henry Hoy, David 
Humbert, David Payne, all ex-soldiers in the Civil War. 

Mrs. Whitaere was a lady who was very much attached 
to her home: and family, and enjoyed the love and friend- 
ship of a large circle of friends and relatives in the states: of 
Nebraska, Illinois and Pennsylvania. 



At Wisconsin State Fair, September, 1906, and a Visit to the 
State Capital of Wisconsin, Madison. 

In September, 1906, we went to the Wisconsin State 
Fair again at Milwaukee, and we must say that the entire 
program was well rendered and very interesting to the large 
crowd from all the adjoining states. We think the fair beat 
its record this time, and nearly the entire fair grounds was 
a sea of human faces at all the sights and attractions. We 
would advise our intimate friends and 1 relatives to visit the 
State Pair occasionally, all of which are interesting and 
highly attractive to everybody. 

None of the county fairs are as good as they used to be 
fifteen or twenty years ago, though some of them are very 
good. The opinion prevails that carelessness and indiffer- 
ence are the prime causes and reason. We saw it stated a 
few years ago in a Freeport paper that one of the most 
highly attractive and up-to-date fairs held in the great 
Middle West was the Walworth County Fair at Elkhorn, 
Wis. I made inquiry of gentlemen on the train, whether the 
statement was true, and they informed me that such were 
the facts. 

In May, 1902, we took in the State Encampment and Re- 
union, which convened at Rock Island, Illinois, on the 20th, 
21st and 22d. There was a large attendance present from 
over the state, and also from the adjoining states. The pro- 
gram was a good one, and was carried out to the letter. The 
grand parade on Wednesday was very attractive. Gov. 
Richard Yates, of Illinois, Gov. Albert B. Cummins, of Iowa, 
and Gov. Van Sant, of Minnesota, were conspicuous attrac- 
tions in the grand review on the occasion. In company with 
David C. Payne, Officer of the Day, of Col. Putnam Post, 
Shannon, we visited the Government Arsenal on Rock 
Island and took in the military display. 



168 MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

In Memoriam. 

John A. Straub was born at Pennsdale, Lycoming 
County, Pa,, Feb. 12th, 1855 ; died in Spring Valley, Carroll 
County, Illinois, Feb. 24th, 1907. On March 18th, 1867, he 
moved with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Henry H. Straub, to 
Cherry Grove Township, Carroll County, 111., in which town- 
ship his father bought a farm of sixty-two and one-half 
acres of the late Wm. D. Gemmil of Kansas, which John 
and his brother Wilson have farmed for the past fifteen 
years. In March, 1884, he removed with Martin Grove and 
family (formerly of Pennsylvania) to Alta, Iowa,. He lived 
in the vicinity of Alta and Storm Lake for about seven years. 
John visited the celebrated Corn Palace at Sioux City and 
also the great World's Fair in Chicago, 111. 

Mr. Straub was a kind, good man, agreeable, sociable, 
liberal and charitable, and one of the noblest works of God, 
an honest man. He leaves to mourn their loss two brothers, 
Wilson and Edward, one brother-in-law, Alfred Whitacre, 
of Shannon, two uncles, George Straub, Sr., of Chad wick, 
111., and Dr. John Straub, of Wilmington, Delaware. John 
was highly respected and esteemed by a large circle of 
friends in Pennsylvania, Iowa and Illinois, all of whom sor- 
rowfully regret his sudden demise. 

Funeral services were conducted in Shannon, at the 
Methodist Church at 10:30 A. M. on Wednesday, February 
27th, the Rev. Seth Baker officiating, assisted by the Rev. 
Yeakel of the Evangelical Church, and the remains were 
quietly laid to rest in Shelley's Cemetery near Shannon. 

The pall-bearers were Robert Willey, John Mattes, 
August Kuhlemeier, Clark Byington, Captains Robert D. 
Cheeseman and James Rubendall. 

The Troy (N. Y.) Press prints the following letter, not 
heretofore published, from President Lincoln to the parents 
of Col. Ellsworth. The letter bears Mr. Lincoln's frank, and 
is post marked "Washington, May 27th, 1861." 

"Washington, D. C, May 25, 1861. 
"To the Father and Mother of Col. Elmer E. Ellsworth. 

"My Dear Sir and Madam: In the untimely loss of 
your noble son, our affliction here is scarcely less than your 
own. So much of promised usefulness to one's country, and 



MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 169 

of bright hopes for one's self and friends, have never been 
so suddenly dashed as in this fall. In size, in years, and in 
youthful appearance a boy only, his power to command men 
was surpassingly great. This power, combined with a fine 
intellect and indomitable energy, and a taste altogether 
military, constituted in him, as seemed to me, the best ma- 
tured talent in that department I ever knew. And yet he 
was singularly modest and deferential in social intercourse. 
My acquaintance with him began less than two years ago; 
yet through the latter half of the intervening period, it was 
as intense as the disparity of our ages and my engrossing 
engagements would permit. To me he appeared to have no 
indulgences or pastimes, and I never heard him utter a pro- 
fane or an intemperate word. What was conclusive of his 
good heart, he never forgot his parents. 

"The honors he labored for so laudably, and, in the sad 
end, so gallantly ' gave his life, he meant for them no less 
than for himself. In the hope that it may be no intrusion 
upon the sacredness of your sorrow, I have ventured to ad- 
dress you this tribute to the memory of my young friend, 
and your brave and early fallen son. 

"May God give you the consolation which is beyond all 
earthly power. Sincerely your friend in a common afflic- 
tion. ABRAHAM LINCOLN." 



CHAPTER XXIT 



A Business Outing, June to September, 1900, to Stockton 
and Warren — Iowa State Encampment. 

In the morning we were informed that Mr. Gray was 
after men to help him pnt up the remainder of his hay, and 
put up his harvest on the shock in good shape. He had, 
when I hired with him, fifteen acres of good barley, about 
eighty acres of good hay to stack, and seventy-five' acres of 
good oats. Mr. Gray had three men during haying, harvest- 
ing and stacking. One of his hands, William Woodford, a 
relative, was working for him by the month, and he was a 
good steady and faithful hand. Mr. Gray was a good man 
to work for, good pay, and we were told that his parents 
were formerly from Pennsylvania. 

All hands remained with him until his entire harvest 
was stacked. The stacking was a big breakfast job for 
him, and his wife told me he was nearly tuckered out before 
the job was completed. 

We liked Wisconsin very well and the; country around 
Warren is fine and lovely. After Mr. Gray and myself 
settled, I returned to Warren, to see my friends again. My 
brothers, John and Wilson, being without a cook and house- 
keeper, I thought I had better return to Freeport and home 
again. 

Early in the spring we had ordered Webster's Una- 
bridged Dictionary of Messrs. Brown and Dolliver, of Ftee- 
port, and when we returned there the books had arrived 
from the publishers, Messrs. G. C. Merriam & Co., Spring- 



MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 171 

field, Mass. We had ordered the two volume series and as 
the Chicago firm did not have them in stock, they were 
ordered from the publishers. 

1905 to 1908. 
At the Wisconsin State Capital, Madison. 

On Saturady morning, near the close of the State Fair 
at Milwaukee, we resolved that we would take the regular 
train on the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul B. B. and re- 
turn home via Madison. The train left Milwaukee shortly 
after noon and passed some beautiful lakes on the way, also 
the city of Watertown. The distance from Milwaukee to 
Madison is just eighty-two miles. We reached the city 
about 4 o'clock P. M., put up at a good reasonable hotel and 
made up our mind that we would remain in the city until 
Sunday evening in order to see the wonderful beautiful lakes 
and the State University buildings. 

Madison is the county seat of Dane County, Wisconsin, 
and the capital of the state, eighty-two miles west of Mil- 
waukee, on the Chicago & Northwestern, Chicago, Milwau- 
kee & St. Paul and the Illinois Central railroads. It is a 
widely* known educational town and summer resort. It lies 
in the attractive lake country, between Lakes Mendota, 
Monona and Wingra, and near Lakes Waubesa and Kegonsa. 
A new capitol, in form of a cross, is now in process of erec- 
tion. Madison also contains the State Hospital for the In- 
sane, and the State fish hatchery is in the suburbs. 

The city has manufactories of agricultural implements, 
machinery, tools, boots and shoes, carriages and wagons; 
there are also a beet sugar plant and several large printing 
houses. Population in 1905, 24,300; at present, December, 
1908, we judge about 30,000 people. 

A Business Outing to Pearl City, Kent, Stockton and Warren. 

On the 9th of January, 1900, our nearest neighbors, Aug. 
Kuhlemeier and family were very unfortunate in loosing 
their dwelling house, and the largest part of their household 
goods. Mrs. Kuhlemeier informs us that their youngest son, 
Bertie, had been upstairs in the afternoon with matches, 
and she thinks the fire started in a northwest room, upstairs. 



172 MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

The alarm was given immediately by ringing the dinner 
bell, and in less than half an hour their nearest neighbors 
came from every direction to save their property. 

Benjamin Doty, our nearest neighbor, Pete Straub and 
myself were the first ones at the fire. We carried out the 
base burner, clothing and furniture. Our kind neighbors 
had a large quantity of canned fruit stored away in the 
cellar, all of which we succeeded in saving for them. Our 
neighbor's property was covered by insurance, which was; a 
great help to them in the building of a new house. 

We always had good neighbors in Spring Valley. My 
mother once remarked that the late Mrs. Lizzie Willfong 
was one of the best and kindest ladies she ever associated 
with. She was indeed a splendid neighbor. She passed 
away to the great beyond at Alta, Iowa, about eight years 
ago. Her kind husband, the late James Willfong, died at 
the same place over five years past. 

June to September, 1900. 

After the loss of Mr. Kuhlemeier's house by fire, we 
consented to their removal to our home. The outbuildings 
and barn were saved. Our neighbor had considerable stock 
to feed and care for, therefore, out of extreme kindness by 
our family, it was considered very convenient and handy for 
them to move in with us. 

Meanwhile, for the sole benefit of our health, and in order 
to earn a little loose change, we packed our valise and 
started for Pearl City, Kent and Stockton. On June 4th, at 
about 5:00 P. M., we put up at the Hotel Pearl, and re- 
mained over night in town. Monday morning we proceeded 
via the Black Hawk Monument to Kent and reached the 
latter village in the afternoon. 

About 5 :00 P. M. we started to call on an intimate 
friend and comrade, Henry Niemeier, who lived about three 
miles northwest of Kent, on a large farm, which he owned 
and cultivated himself. Our friend had considerable work 
on his hands, re-planting corn, haying, and the cultivation 
of his corn crop. Our first work was planting corn over, in 
order to have a full stand and complete crop. When haying 
time came around Mr. Niemeier hired an extra good hand, 
Mr. George Cole, who was one of his nearest neighbors. His 
hay crop was soon mowed and put away in his big barn, 



MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 173 

and his corn crop cultivated and laid off for the season. 
On account of his oats crop not being' ready to harvest we 
requested George Cole to take us to Stockton, where we 
remained over night. 

There being no demand yet for harvest hands we decided 
to move on to Warren and take in the haying and harvest in 
that vicinity. We stopped at a large farm house some four 
miles south of Warren. The owner of the farm, Mr. Hicks, 
was in need of harvest hands. He had haying, oats and 
barley, to put up on the shock, and we agreed to remain with 
him until further orders. We worked for him through har- 
vest and found him to be one of the best men we ever lived 
with, and he had a fine, intelligent family. 

Having an intimate friend at Warren, we decided to call 
and see him. We arrived in the latter town at about 4:00 
P. M. and found our friend, Mr. David G. Moll, at his old 
stand in the boot and shoe line, who was enjoying an active 
and prosperous business. This was the first time we had 
ever visited Warren and of course we were satisfied that we 
would not be out of employment very long. Our friend had 
married the intelligent daughter of Comrade R. B. Straw, 
Miss Norena, and we were respectfully invited to accompany 
him home and remain with him until morning. After sup- 
per Mr. Moll was obliged to return to his store and attend to 
his evening trade. 

During the evening a gentleman, who lived two miles 
north of Warren, in Lafayette County, Wisconsin, whose 
name was Mr. John Gray, came to town and was inquiring 
for hands in the haying and harvest. Mr. Moll told him he 
would get him a harvest hand. 

Outing to Rock Ford, Belvidere, Kingston and Genoa, July 

4th, 1906. 

When we returned to Freeport Sept 1st, we met Director 
August Kuhlemeier, who happened to be in the city, and 
returned home with him to Spring Valley. August and his 
family are good neighbors, they are kind and sociable. His 
wife is a member of the Spring Valley Methodist Church, 
and she frequently sends us a few cookies, pies, sausage, 
and other presents, all of which are thankfully acceptable. 
Oscar is considered one of the best farm hands in Spring 



174 MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

Valley. He is passionately fond of music and the girls and 
likes to play the violin. Mrs. Kuhlemeier's sisters are Mary, 
Augusta, Hattie, Annie, Sofia, Charlotte and Minnie Nie- 
meier, all of whom have the reputation of being kind, soci- 
able and lovely women and excellent housekeepers. 

Our first neighbors, who lived near us when we moved 
from Ogle County into Carroll, were James M. Willfong 
and family. Mr. Willfong 's daughters and sons are Mrs. 
Mary Byington of Loran Township, Mrs. Phebe Grove of 
Lyon Co., Minn., and Mrs. Rinnie Moll of Aurelia, Iowa, 
Martin of Alta, Iowa, George of Mason City, Iowa, William, 
who married Miss Ora Ely of Alta and Thomas of Lyon Co., 
Minn. Martin married Miss Mary E. Willey of Spring Val- 
ley. George married Miss Netta Hofacre of Shannon and 
Thomas married Miss Dessie Hofacre, formerly of Shannon. 
The boys are all good workers and industrious men and 
their wives most excellent, amiable and estimable women. 

July 4th, 1906, we formed the idea that we would cele- 
brate the 4th of July in Freeport and Rockford and also visit 
a few particular friends in Kingston and Genoa. At ten 
o'clock A. M. we took the interurban car at Freeport and 
reached Rockford at twelve o'clock A. M. We first pro- 
ceeded to a first-class restaurant where we ate a good square 
meal and were then in good walking condition to see the 
attractions and investigate the program on the patriotic 
occasion. There was a fine display of yachting and pleasure 
boats on Rock River, all of which had Old Glory flung to the 
breeze. The city was finely decorated with bunting and 
flags and presented a gala-day appearance. But after dinner 
we were informed that the most important attractions and 
complete program would be carried out at Harlem Park. 

We soon stepped aboard a street car and in a short time 
were landed at the park. An immense crowd were in at- 
tendance. Merry-go-rounds, theaters and a variety of enter- 
tainments were under head way. Surely, young ladies and 
young gentlemen and children were enjoying the quiet walk 
of life. After seeing nearly the whole program we returned 
at four o 'clock to the Illinois Central depot intending to take 
the first train for Belvidere, but missed it by nearly half an 
hour. We immediately took the interurban for Belvidere. 
When we reached the latter town we had fifteen minutes 
until train time for Henrietta and Sycamore. Of course the 



MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 175 

4th of July is always contagious and Belvidere was nearly 
full of handsome young ladies and gentlemen, all of whom 
were neatly dressed in holiday attire. 

We having a few intimate comrades and schoolmates at 
Kingston and Genoa whom we had not seen for the past 
fifteen years, we decided to buy a ticket for Henrietta, 
Dekalb Co., Illinois. Arriving at the latter village we had 
two miles to walk to get to Kingston. We were in the latter 
town about sundown and put up at the Hotel Burke until 
morning. In the meantime a celebration was in full blast 
at Genoa and about one-half of Kingston were there taking 
in the great and glorious 4th of July. 

The next morning we arose at the usual time and pre- 
pared for breakfast. During the day we met a number of 
our old time friends, none of whom knew us at first sight. 

In 1883 we had visited Kingston, Pierson Ortt's father, 
Mr. John Ortt, was living at that time and we visited in the 
town about three or four days. Mr. Ortt was one of our 
nearest and best neighbors, whose family lived near Penns- 
dale, Lycoming County, Penna. At that time we went from 
Kingston to Rockford and Pierson 's father went with us 
about one mile. When we reached Rockford we secured 
employment with the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul It. R. 

We met Comrades Martin Lentz, James Mackey and Wm. 
Reynolds, who were members of Barnes Post at Kingston. 
We were cordially invited to call and see them and visit 
them at their own homes. 

Mrs. James Mackey is a sister of Pierson Baker's, of 
Maurice, Sioux Co., Iowa, and formerly a schoolmate of ours 
in Pennsylvania. Her father was the late Nathan Baker, a 
member of Company B, 7th Pennsylvania Cavalry, who died 
at Kingston, Illinois, over ten years ago. Her husband, Com- 
rade Mackey, was a member of Company H, 131st Pennsyl- 
vania Vol. Infantry. We were much delighted to meet Mr. 
and Mrs. Mackey, both of whom are highly esteemed in their 
home town and enjoy the acquaintance of a large circle of 
friends in Pennsylvania and Illinois. When we gazed at the 
pictures in the photograph albums of our numerous friends, 
we were of course affected. We were introduced to Mr. 
Mackey 's only daughter, and a friendly lady, Mrs. Thomas 
Holmes. Mrs. Mackey 's mother, Mrs. Catharine Baker, died 
at the home of her son William Baker, near Kingston, about 



176 MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

one year ago. She was a good kind mother, much devoted 
to her family and had hosts of kind friends in Pennsylvania 
and Illinois. Two of her sons, Samuel and Thomas, died at 
Kingston over ten years ago. She leaves three daughters, 
Phebe and Maggie of Nebraska, and three sons to mourn 
her loss; Pierson of Iowa, Ambrose (Poe) of Genoa and 
William of Belvidere. 

Our next call in Kingston was at the beautiful home of 
Martin Lentz and family. Mr. Lentz was a member of Co. 
B, 48th Pennsylvania Vol. Infantry, Colonels William G. 
Murry and S. B. Bowman commanding the regiment during 
the Civil War. Mr. Lentz was once Commander of Barnes 
Post No. 395, at Kingston, chartered Feb. 1st, 1884, of 12th 
Cong. District, Dekalb Co., 111. Our conversation was chiefly 
occupied in recollections of boyhood days and a brief sum- 
mary of reminiscences of the late American conflict. He had 
one brother, Frank, in the Union Army whom, we are in- 
formed, died during the war. One brother, John, resides in 
Warren County, Illinois, and was elected Sheriff of that 
County. We have been told that Mr. Lentz is now Deputy 
Sheriff of Dekalb Co. His wife was formerly Miss Reichard 
of Muncy, Penna., and she has numerous friends and rela- 
tives in Illinois and Pennsylvania, and is a very intelligent 
and estimable lady. 

On Thursday evening we called to see the drummer boy 
of the Kingston Band, John Pierson Ortt. Mr. Ortt has been 
Road Commissioner in Kingston Township for several years. 
His son Ralf is also coming to the front as an amateur drum- 
mer, and receives invitations frequently from neighboring 
towns. Pierce came with his parents from Lycoming Co., 
Penna., to Illinois in the spring of 1868. He has one sister, 
Mrs. Ellis Jones and family who live near Winthrop, 
Buchanan Co., Iowa, and Theodore Hill Ortt who is married 
and lives at Waterloo, Iowa. Pierson was married to Miss 
Ollie Miller over twenty years ago. They have three 
daughters, Mrs. Jennie of Belvidere, Bertha who attends the 
Rockford Business College at Rockford, and Beatrice, eight 
years of age. Miss Bertha has been a good practical teacher 
in the common schools of Dekalb Co.. for several years. She 
was a student at the Northern Illinois State Normal School 
at Dekalb, and pursued a special course in the art and 
science of teaching (pedagogics). 



MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 177 

Mr. Ortt owns a fine home in Kingston and is fond of 
hunting and fishing. Beatrice, who is a cute and intelligent 
girl for her age, begins to know how to entertain her friends 
and likes candy and bananas. . 

We were informed this week, through the Muncy, Penn., 
Luminary, that one of Pierson's first cousins, Mr. John F. 
Ortt, passed away at his farm residence, about three miles 
northeast of Muncy, aged 76 years, 6 months and thirteen 
days. He leaves one brother, James, of Williamsport, and 
one sister, Mrs. Sarah Jane Stauffer, of Muncy, Penn. We 
also regret to state, on information from the same paper, 
that Mrs. Mary Baker Hess, of Muncy, died at that town 
Dec. 7th of heart disease, aged 59 years, 2 months and 18 
days. She leaves her husband, Mr. Fred Hess, and five 
children, Margaret, wife of Thomas Stohler, Thomas S., 
Cora, wife of Thomas Walizer, Nathan B. and Sarah, wife 
of Dell Rager, to mourn the loss of a loving and devoted 
wife and mother. Pierson's mother, the late Mary Long 
Ortt, departed this life at Kingston, Illinois, over twenty 
years ago. She was an excellent neighbor and very kind 
woman. 

Outing to Iowa State Encampment at Dubuque, in June 1907. 

In June, 1907, we happened to be in Mt. Carroll on busi- 
ness, in connection with the sale of our farm in Spring 
Valley, we formed the idea that we might just as well take 
in the Iowa State Encampment and enjoy the quiet walk of 
life again. We were chatting with the Hon. A. F. Wingart, 
who ought to be in the State Legislature, two terms, and 
then sent to Congress. We remarked to the honest and able 
attorney that on account of disagreeable and wet weather 
we should like to be in Dubuque to-day. "Why, surely, Mr. 
Straub," remarked the lawyer, "you might just as well be 
with the big crowd as the rest of the boys." 

We soon proceeded to the Milwaukee depot and caught 
the first train for Savanna ; we then proceeded to the Bur- 
lington depot, and pulled out of the latter city at about 1 :00 
o 'clock, reaching Dubuque about 3 :00 P. M. 

The train was nearly full of visitors, both ladies and 
gentlemen, all seemingly proud they would cross the Father 
of Waters, and be royally entertained in the City of Du- 



1/8 MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

buque. Main Street was finely decorated with bunting and 
flags and Old Glory was flung to the breeze on all prominent 
buildings. 

The Sons of Veterans, Spanish War Veterans and G. A. 
R. had headquarters on Main Street, where the soldiers 
could rest themselves and talk with their comrades and 
friends. Pawnee Bill's Wild West Show was given permis- 
sion to make the first parade, after which the Sons of Vet- 
erans, Spanish War Veterans and Grand Army of the Re- 
public fell in line and made a grand parade on Main Street 
from south to north. At G. A. R. Headquarters on Main 
Street all visiting comrades were requested to register their 
names, company and regiment. 

A grand camp-fire was held on Thursday Evening, which 
was largely attended. The program consisted of singing the 
Star Spangled Banner, solos and choice selections of music 
on the violin. A very patriotic address was made by the 
Hon. George D. Perkins, formerly a member of Congress 
from Sioux City, Iowa. 

The ex-soldiers all expressed themselves as well pleased 
with the entire program, and thought the big State Re- 
union was a grand success. 

About seven years ago we attended Memorial Day ser- 
vices at Dubuque. The program and procession was very 
impressive, nearly all secret societies of the city were in line. 
The address on the occasion was a good one and was deliv- 
ered by the Hon. Charles McKenzie of Des Moines. 

Comrade Daniel G. Glasser, of the D. G. Glasser Tobacco 
Company, was in attendance. Mr. Glasser is a brother of 
Jerry's and Mrs. R. B. Straw, of Cherry Grove Township. 
We have forgotten what regiment he served in during the 
war, but after we visited him at his wholesale house, we 
found him to be a whole-souled gentleman and splendid 
business man. Of course he is an honorary member of the 
G. A. R. and one of the highly esteemed citizens of Dubuque. 



CHAPTER XXIII. 



Sons of Veterans Camp Organized at Shannon — Women's 
Relief Corps — Rosier of Ex-Soldiers. 

During January, 1907, we received letters from Past 
Commander-in-Chief of the 1 Sons of Veterans, William G. 
Dustin, of Dwight, Illinois, who respectfully requested us 
to proceed in the noble project and patriotic enterprise of 
organizing a Camp of the Sons of Veterans at Shannon, HI. 
We sent Col. Dustin a list of twenty-six names, to all of 
whom he mailed printed circulars, urging the immediate 
action and patriotic necessity for organizing a camp at Shan- 
non. We requested him to forward us the required docu- 
ments and application blanks, preliminary to canvassing the 
town and vicinity. 

In the meantime Col. Dustin wrote to Richard P. Locke, 
attorney at law, Messrs. C. J. Mather and Wilson, of John 
A. Logan Camp, No. 26, 111. Division, Rockford, requesting 
their immediate assistance in the noble work. Messrs. 
Locke, Mather and Wilson, of Rockford, and Comrade W. 
W. Rawleigh of Freeport, soon came on to Shannon, and 
secured enough names, twenty-five or thirty, to guarantee 
the success of the organization. During the middle of April 
the above gentlemen came back and mustered in the Camp. 

Comrade Alfred S. Babb, Post Master, moved that the 
camp be named after one of the members of Holden Putnam 
Post, No. 646, of Shannon, 111. A vote was cast, which re- 
sulted in the selection of David Payne. The camp was then 
named David Payne Camp, Sons of Veterans. 



180 MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

Roster and list of members of David Payne Camp, Sons 
of Veterans : Harvey Rubendall, Commander, George Truck- 
enmiller, Senior Vice Commander, Grover C. Truckenmiller, 
Junior Vice Commander, Freeman A. Cook, Chaplain, Dan- 
iel S. Hoy, Secretary-Adjutant, Charles Sturdevant, Color 
Sergeant, John C. Parker, Sergeant of Guard, James Payne, 
Picket, alvin F. Kramer, Treasurer, George Sturdevant, Cor- 
poral of the Guard, George H. Parker, 4th XL S. Regular 
Infantry, Fred Cheesman, Edward Truckenmiller, Robert 
L. Miller, Henry A. Whitacre, William Straw, Charles Truck- 
enmiller, Bell Everett Boyle, Editor of Times-Reporter, 
Charles W. Hoy, Charles Stewart, Joseph Sturdevant, John 
Sturdevant, Albert Sturdevant, Arthur Rubendall, George 
O. Elwing. 

Women's Relief Corps Organized at Shannon, Illinois. 

Our indispensable auxiliary, the Woman's Relief Corps, 
continues to do beneficial work. They encourage many of 
the Posts, some of which would have disbanded but for their 
assistance and encouragement. Their charity is broad and 
the organized efforts of the faithful members of the asso- 
ciation in teaching patriotism is bearing fruit. Mrs. May G. 
Lincoln, Department President, has been untiring in her 
noble efforts to build up our worthy auxiliary. The emi- 
nent lady has visited all parts of the Department and has 
done intelligent and effective work wherever she has gone. 
For her ability, her zeal and her kindly courtesy, so ably 
supported by that band of noble, self-sacrificing women, we 
desire to express not alone the thanks of Holden Putnam 
Post, but the appreciation and thanks of the entire Depart- 
ment. 

Roster of Woman's Relief Corps, Shannon, 111.: Mrs. 
Anna Yordy. First President; Miss Belle Payne, Second 
President; Mrs. Inez Humbert Bailey, formerly Secretary; 
Mrs. Nathaniel Good, Mrs. Abraham Diehl, Mrs. Jacob Fry, 
Mrs. George W. Whitmore, Mrs. Harriet S. Atkins, Mrs. 
Robert D. Cheesman, Mrs. Lucy Payne, Mrs. Beulah Babb, 
Mrs, Josephine Eby, Mrs. Alfred S. Babb, Mrs. James Ruben- 
dall, Mrs. Jacob Sturdevant, deceased, Mrs. Cordelia Rey- 
nolds, deceased. 



MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 181 

Holden Putnam Post No. 646, G. A. R. 

Holden Putnam Post, No. 646, Shannon, Illinois, was char- 
tered Nov. 17th, 1887. Meets 1st and 3d Saturday even- 
ings, monthly. 13th Congressional District, Carroll County, 
Illinois. The Post has the following Past Post Commanders, 
who were legally elected and installed. 

1, William Corry, Co. D, 55th N. Y. Vol. Inf. 

2, John A. Leonard, Co. I, 49th Ohio Inf., born in Trum- 

bull County, Ohio. 

3, Jacob Kehm, 93d 111. Vol. Inf., Post Office, Canton, S. 

Dakota. 

4, Christian Pry, Co. B, 15th 111. Inf., born in Canada. 

5, William Fleisher. 

6, Reuben B. Straw Co., 15th 111. Inf., born in Dauphin 

County, Pa* 

7, Robert D. Cheesman, 15th 111. Inf., address Shannon, 111. 

8, David Payne, Co. B, 26th 111. Inf., P. 0. address Shan- 

non, 111. 

9, George C. Byers, Co. K, 15th 111. Inf., P. 0. address 

Shannon, 111. \ 

10, James Rubendall, Co. K, 15th 111. Inf., P. 0. address 

Shannon, 111. 1 

11, Henry Hoy, Co. K, 92d 111. Inf., P. 0. address Shannon, 

ni. 

12, Edward A. Straub, Co. B, 7th Pa. Cav., P. 0. address 

Shannon, 111. 

13, Alfred Whitacre, Co. F, 50th N. Y. Engrs,, P. 0. address 

Shannon, 111. 

14, Edward Truckenmiller, Co. F, 92d 111. Inf., P. 0. address 

Shannon, 111. 

15, Henry Burkett, Co. D, 14th U. S. Regulars, P. 0. address 

Shannon, 111. 

16, Jacob Sturdevant, Co. B, 26th 111. Inf., P. 0. address 

Shannon, 111. 

17, David Humbert, Co. K, 15th 111. Inf., P. 0. address 

Shannon, 111. 

18, Patrick Barrett, P. 0. address, Shannon, 111. 

19, Christian Hess, Co. 2d Colorado Cavalry, P. O. address 

Shannon, 111. 



1 82 MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

Roster of Ex-Soldiers in Shannon and Vicinity. 

1, Thomas Sizer, 17th 111. Cav., at Soldiers' Home, Quincy, 

111. 

2, John A. Leonard, residence Shannon, 111. 

3, William Corrie, Co. D, 55th N. Y. Vol. Inf. 

4, Michael Thomas, 101st N. Y., died at Marengo, 111., aged 

61 years. 

5, Samuel H. Butterbaugh, residence Madison, Wis. 

6, Reuben Connelly, died at Berwick, Pa., Reg. unknown. 

7, George Lashell, 93d 111. Inf., address Freeport, 111. 

8, Uriah Perry, Co. E, 11th 111. Inf., died at Forreston, 111. 

9, Dr. John I. Smith, Co. G, 92d 111., Surgeon G. A. R., died 

at Shannon, 111. 

10, Dr. Hepfer, Veterinary Surgeon, Shannon, 111. 

11, Henry Hoyman, regiment unknown, residence Freeport, 

111. 

12, William Black, Co. K, 99th 111., at S. Home, Quincy, 111. 

13, Capt. William Dodds, regiment unknown, address Chi- 

cago. 

14, Francis M. Hicks, regiment unknown, address Tipton, la. 

15, Barton Mishler, regiment unknown, in California. 

16, Robert W. Healy, 15th 111., residence! Freeport, 111. 

17, John Clark, regiment unknown, residence formerly Shan- 

non, 111. 

18, Russell Hayes, Capt. Co. A, 11th 111., died at Freeport. 

19, Balser Bistline, Co. K, 93d 111., died in Forreston, Ogle 

County, 111. 

20, Benjamin F. Kramer, Co. B, 26th 111., died near Garner, 

Iowa. 

21, Aaron E. Machamer, Co. D, 46th 111., address Belvidere, 

111. 

22, David Payne, Co. B, 26th 111., Officer of Day, G. A. R., 

Shannon, 111. 

23, John R. Hayes, Co. A, 11th 111., railroad ticket agent, 

Chicago, 111. 

24, James M. Willfong, Co. H, 15th 111., died at Alta, Iowa. 
2'5, Alfred Whitacre, Co. F, 50th N. Y., at S. Home, Quincy, 

111. 

26, Edward A. Straub, Adj. Col. Putnam Post, Shannon, 111. 

27, John D. White, Capt. Co. D, 93 111., residence formerly 

Freeport, 111. 



MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 183 

28, John Israel, reg. artillery service, address Marion, la. 

29, David Cramm, reg. unknown, died near Shannon, 111. 

30, John Wood, reg. unknown, residence Cerro Gordo Co., 

Iowa. 

31, Jacob Sturdevant, Co. B, 26th 111 Guard, address Shan- 

non, 111. 

32, Henry Hoy, Co. K, 92d 111., Chaplain G. A. R., Shannon, 

HI. 

33, Thomas Barnaby, 15th 111., died at Soldiers' Home, 

Quincy, 111. 

34, Abraham Diehl, Co. E, 49th Ohio, Past Chaplain, G. A. R., 

Shannon, 111. 

35, John Dunman, 15th 111., at Nat. Home, Milwaukee, Wis. 

36, Thomas Elder, Co. D, 46th. Pa,, address Newkirk, Okla. 

37, Edw. Plory, Co. D, 81st Pa., P. 0. address Lanark, 111. 

38, Jacob Fry, Co. B, 15th 111., Adj., G. A. R., address Free- 

port, 111. 

39, Wm. Winters, Co. F, 142d 111., in state of Oregon. 

40, Henry Williamson, Co. H, 2d Mo. Cav., P. 0. Rock Falls. 

41, Robert Dunning, 2d 111. Artillery, Libby Prison 4 mo., 

P. 0. Morrison, 111. 

42, John McCrea, 4th U. S. Reg. Cav., P. 0. Iowa FaUs, Iowa, 

43, Wm. W. Benton, Co. H, 17th 111. Cav., address Warren, 

111. 

44, Jas. K. Quick, Co. F, 26th Mich., address Shannon, 111. 

45, Geo. W. Williams, 4th Mich. Cav., P. 0. Muskegon, Mich. 

46, Wm. J. Wimer, Co. H, 15th 111., born at New Lisbon, 

Ohio, P. 0. Lanark, 111. 

47, Archie Adair, Co. C, 168th Pa., died at Lanark, 111. 

48, Amos Reynolds, Co. H, 6th Md., died at Shannon, 111. 



Marriage Record. 

Robert Wood and Hester D. Straub were married Jan- 
uary 1st, 1857. 

Charles H. Wood and Alice M. Baumgartner were mar- 
ried February 7th, 1884. 

Emily H. Wood and William T. England were married 
December 25th, 1893. 

James Albert Wood and May McDowell were married 
November 29th, 1894. 



184 MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

Joseph B. Wood and Alice England were married April 
married June 18th, 1902. 
27th, 1897. 

George Leidy Wood and Genevieve McCullough were 

Sarah Myrtle Wood and Robert Collister were married 
June 18th, 1902. 

Mary Rebecca Wood and Solomon Siegel were married 
November 26th, 1903. 

Amelia Wood, daughter of Robert and Hester Wood, died 
July 28th, 1861, aged 9 months and 12 days. 

William Oliver Wood, son of Robert and Hester Wood, 
died November 19th, 1888, aged 19 years 9 months and 
29 days. 

Hester D. Wood, wife of Robert Wood, died February 
27th, 1890, aged 51 years, 10 months and 12 days. 

Annie Maud Wood, daughter of Robert and Hester Wood, 
died September 14th, 1895, aged 19 years and 17 days. 

Charles Straub and Elizabeth Baker were married Jan- 
uary 29th, 1826. 

Charles Straub and Rebecca Hart were married Decem- 
ber 31st, 1846. 

John Harlan and Sarah Straub were married February 
15th, 1845. 

William Straub and Anna McKean were married Decem- 
ber 30th, 1857. 

Elizabeth Baker Straub, wife of Charles Straub, died De- 
cember 13th, 1845. 

John Wesley Straub was born September 9th, 1857, died 
November 22d, 1861. 



CHAPTER XXIV. 



Family Record of Our Nearest Friends and 
Neighbors. 

The quarter-section farm formerly owned by Mr. James 
H. Hart, now living in Kansas, was purchased by Mr. John 
R. Hayes of Preeport. Mr. Hayes moved on the farm and he 
and his sons farmed the place for over ten years. He sold 
the farm afterwards to Mr. Howard Crabtree of Shannon. 
Mr. Hayes was married to Miss Jane Graham, daughter of 
the late Mathew Graham of Stephenson Co., Illinois. Mr. 
and Mrs. Hayes are the proud parents of two daughters and 
three sons. Mary is married and resides in Minneapolis, 
Minn. Samuel and Jennie died in Chicago over five years 
ago. John G. Hayes, veterinary surgeon, of the firm of 
Hayes & Kettle, are the proprietors of the noted Palace 
Livery of Freeport. They are both conceded to be good 
business men and are having a thriving and steady trade in 
the livery line. Mathew Graham Hayes has been a brake- 
man and engineer on the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific 
R. R. for several years. Mr. Hayes was sheriff of Stephen- 
son Co., Illinois, for two terms. He is conceded to be one of 
the best sheriffs the county ever elected. Mr. and Mrs. 
Hayes were excellent neighbors. They were formerly from 
Center Co. Penn., and are highly esteemed by a large circle 
of friends in both Pennsylvania and Illinois. They now 
reside in Chicago, in which city Mr. Hayes holds a respons- 
ible position as Railroad Ticket Agent. 

George H. Parker, a good practical farmer and patriotic 



1 86 MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

citizen of Cherry Grove Township was born in Shannon, 111. 
on April 1st, 1886. He enlisted at Omaha, Nebraska with 
Captain Butler D. Price, Regimental Adjutant of the 4th 
U. S. Regular Cavalry. After three months service at Omaha 
he was sent to Fort Sherman. He enlisted in Co. E, 4th U. 
S. Infantry in the division commanded by Colonel Carlan, 
Department of the Pacific, Gen. John Gibbon commanding. 
Mr. Parker served four years and nine months at Fort 
Sherman and five years in the regular army. He was in 
Idaho, Oregon and California. Was honorably discharged 
from the army March 29th, 1891. After returning east he 
secured a responsible position as Engine Dispatcher with the 
Illinois Central railroad at Waterloo, Iowa, which he re- 
signed after eight months service. Mr. Parker was married 
after his return to Illinois to Amanda Hoy, daughter of 
Henry Hoy, of Shannon, Illinois. They have two girls and 
three boys, all nice children. He served one term as Com- 
mander of the Shannon Camp Sons of Veterans. His father, 
the late William Parker, who was a member of Co. D., 46th 
Illinois Infantry, in the Civil War, died at Memphis, Ten- 
nessee after the war of yellow fever. He was promoted to 
sergeant of his company. George H. Parker is well drilled 
and the Sons of Veterans should feel proud of their able 
comrade in a military point of view. Boys, stand by the 
camp. 

Mr. John C. Parker, a good practical farmer and patriot- 
ic citizen of Spring Valley, Carrol County, Illinois, was born 
in Shannon, Illinois. He was married at Garner, Iowa, to 
Miss Artie Kramer, September 24th, 1896. Mr. and Mrs. 
Parker are the proud parents of two daughters, Mabel G. 
Parker and Esther M. Parker; four sons, Benjamin W. 
Parker, Charles F. Parker, Paul G. Parker and John Howard 
Parker. Mr. Parker was elected to the following Township 
offices : School Director of the Spring Valley district, four 
terms; Town Clerk, two terms. He learned the artist's 
trade, portrait painting, in Chicago. He was formerly a 
member of Battery B, 1st Illinois Artillery of the State 
National Guards. He was on duty with the National Guards 
during the riots and strikes in Chicago. Mrs. Parker's 
father, the late Benjamin F. Kramer, emigrated from Illinois 
to Iowa in March, 1894. He rented one hundred and sixty 
acres of Michael McGruder, seven miles southwest of Britt, 



MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 187 

Hancock County, Iowa. He next rented a large farm near 
Garner, where he died December 31st, 1901. His daughter 
Gertie, a very intelligent and virtuous young lady, also 
passed away at Garner in December, 1901. Mr. Kramer was 
in the Civil War and was wounded. He was a dutiful and 
faithful soldier and a good practical farmer. He leaves a 
widows Mrs. Joanna Kramer, three daughters and three sons 
to mourn their irreparable loss. 

George Fox Sr. was born in Hesse Darmstadt, Germany, 
September, 1842. He was thirty years of age when he emi- 
grated to the United States. Having came to Illinois he first 
settled at Black Oak Grove, where he rented a large farm. 
After a residence of five years in Black Oak he moved to 
Fred Campmire's farm, which he rented for one year. He 
afterwards rented a farm west of Shannon, which was 
owned by Steven Thometz, of Shannon. He next moved to 
the Hon. W. Scott Cowen's farm south of Shannon, where 
he lived one year and then rented the farm northwest of 
Shannon, then owned by the late Sheldon Coon, from here 
he moved onto the farm formerly owned by the late Fergu- 
son Chitty in Spring Valley. He next rented 270 acres in 
Florence ^ownship, owned by the late Jefferson Barnes of 
Shannon. On the latter farm he lived two years, after which 
he rented the large farm three miles north of Shannon, now 
owned by Mrs. Joseph Turk. Mr. and Mrs. Dora Fox are the 
parents of two daughters, Mary and Lena, and four sons, 
George, Henry, Herman and William. Lena married Mr. 
Henry Plock, who is a tiller of the soil and they live near 
Georgetown, Carroll County. Mrs. Fox and her daughters 
are excellent housekeepers. Their daughters and sons were 
all born in Carroll County, Illinois. Mr. Fox and his sons 
are all good practical farmers. They raise and deal in 
blooded stock, and we know of no better neighbors in Car- 
roll County. 

Martin Woessner, one of the best practical farmers in 

Cherry Grove Township, was born in Illinois. 

His parents Mr. John Woessner and Mrs. Barbara Woessner 
removed from Whiteside Co., Illinois, to Spring Valley over 
thirty years ago. He bought the large farm formerly owned 
by the late Elias Forney of Alta, Iowa, consisting of two 
hundred acres. Mr. and Mrs. Woessner are the parents of 
four daughters and five sons; namely, Kate, who married 



188 MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

David G. Moll; Clara, who married Porter Bixler, and 
Emma, who married Christian Hartman; George married 
Miss Hoy, daughter of Mrs. John Lutz; John married Miss 
Lydia Bremer ; Martin married Miss Pearl Adams, daughter 
of Thomas Adams of Cherry Grove ; Frank C. Woessner, one 
of the best business men in Shannon is still single and lives 
in the latter town. Martin's sisters are all excellent house- 
keepers, and his brothers all good farmers and industrious 
men. We consider him very lucky in getting a very good 
and kind woman. Spring Valley is surely to be congratu- 
lated in securing the services of a new blacksmith. Martin 
has opened up a shop about three and one-half miles north- 
west of Shannon. He will do all kinds of repairing, and if 
anything in the implement line is broken or smashed up 
we guarantee Martin will put it in running order again. 

Charles Woessner was born in Whiteside Co., Illinois. 
He has five children. He was married to Miss Cora Kuhle- 
meier of Cherry Grove Tp., Carroll Co., Illinois. Charles is 
a good practical farmer and owns one hundred and sixty 
acres of good land, a fine farm. His sisters are Mrs. Emma 
Hartman, Mrs. Porter Bixler. He is a brother to Frank, 
George, John and Martin Woessner. 

Wishing all kind friends and neighbors, both ladies and 
gentlemen, a happy New Year, we claim the privilege to ring 
down the curtain. 



CHAPTER XXV. 



Roster of War Governors' both Union and Confederate 
who served between 1861 and 1865. 

1st. California, John G. Downey, Democrat, 1860-61. 

2nd. California., Leland Stanford, Republican, 1861-63. 

3rd. California, Frederick F. Low, Republican, 1863-67. 

Brief Biography of Leland Stanford, 1824-93. An Amer- 
ican patriot, born at Watervliet, N. Y. In 1849 he removed 
to Wisconsin, and for a time practiced law in Port Wash- 
ington. In 1856 he established a financial business in San 
Francisco, Cal. He was elected Governor of California by 
the Republican Unionists in 1861. In the same year he be- 
came President of the new Central Pacific Railway Com- 
pany, and, proceeded to Washington, successfully lobbied 
for the passage by Congress of the bill granting Govern- 
ment aid to the project. In the construction of the road he 
personally undertook the responsibility and supervision of 
that part of the road crossing the ridge of the Sierra Nevada 
mountains, and as a result 530 miles of mountain road were 
constructed in 293 days. The road was completed in 1866 
to Ogden, Utah, where it was subsequently connected with 
the Union Pacific system. Mr. Stanford was elected U. S. 
Senator in 1884 and in 1890. He founded Leland Stanford 
University at Palo Alto, Cal., as a memorial to his son. His 
wife Jane Leland Stanford, 1825-1905, was born at Albany, 
N. Y., and was married in 1850 to Mr. Stanford. She espec- 
ially interested herself in the development of Leland Stan- 
ford (Junior) University, particularly as regards building 
equipment. She also established a children's home at Al- 



igo MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

bany, N. Y. She died February 28, 1905 at Honolulu, 
Hawaii. 

4th. New York, Edwin D. Morgan, Republican, 1859-1863. 

5th. New York, Horatio Seymour, Democrat, 1863-1865. 

6th. New York, Reuben E. Fenton, Republican, 1865-1869. 

7th Pennsylvania, Andrew Gregg Curtin, Republican, 
1861-1865. 

8th. Alabama, Andrew B. Moore, Democrat, 1857-1861. 

9th. Alabama, John G. Shorter, Democrat, 1861-1863. 

10th. Alabama, Thomas H. Watts, Democrat, 1863-1865. 

11th. Arkansas, Henry M. Rector, Democrat, 1860-1862. 

12th. Arkansas, Isaac Murphy, Republican, 1864-1868. 

14th. Connecticut, W. A. Buckingham, Republican, 1858- 
1866. 

Delaware, no record of war Governor's in our possession. 

15th Florida, Madison S. Perry, Democrat, 1857-1861. 

16th. Florida, John Milton, Democrat, 1861-1865. 

17th. Georgia. 

18th. Idaho, William H. Wallace, Territorial, 1863-1864. 

19th. Idaho, Caleb Lyon, Territorial, 1864-1866. 

20th. Illinois, John Wood, Republican, 1860-1861. 

21st. Illinois, Richard Yates, Republican, 1861-1865. 

22d. Illinois, Richard J. Oglesby, Republican, 1865-1869. 

23d. Indiana, Henry S. Lane, Republican, 1861. 

24th. Indiana, Oliver P. Morton, Republican, 1861-1867. 

25th. Iowa, Samuel J. Kirkwood, Republican, 1860-1864. 

26th. Iowa, William M. Stone, Republican, 1864-1868. 

27th. Kansas, Charles Robinson, Republican, 1861-1863. 

28th. Kansas, Thomas Carney, Republican, 1863-1865. 

29th. Kansas, Samuel J. Crawford, Republican, 1865-1869. 

30th. Kentucky, Beriah Magoffin, Democrat, 1859-1862. 

31st. Kentucky, James Robinson, Democrat, 1862-1863. 

32d. Kentucky, Thomas E. Bramlette, Democrat, 1863- 
1867. 

33d. Louisiana. Thomas O. Moore, Democrat, 1860-1862. 

34th, Louisiana, George F. Shepley, Military, 1862-1864. 

35th. Louisiana, Henry W. Alley, Confederate, 1864-1865. 

36th. Louisiana, Michael Hahn, Unionist and Military, 
1864-1865. 

37th. Maine, Israel Washburn, Republican, 1861-1863. 

38th. Maine, Abner Coburn, Republican, 1863-1864. 

39th. Maine, Samuel Coney, Republican, 1864-1867. 



MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 191 

40th. Maryland, Thomas H. Hicks, (American), 1858- 
1862. 

41st. Maryland, August W. Bradford, (Unionist), 1862- 
1865. 

42d. Maryland, Thomas Swann, Unionist, later Democrat, 
1865-1868. 

43d. Massachusetts, Nathaniel P. Banks, Republican, 
1858-1861. 

44th. Massachusetts, John A. Andrew, Republican, 1861- 
1866. 

45th. Michigan, Austin Blair Republican, 1861-1865. 

46th. Michigan, Henry H. Crapo, Republican, 1865-1869. 

47th. Minnesota, Alexander Ramsey, Republican, 1860- 
1864. 

48th. Minnesota, Stephen Miller, Republican, 1864-1866. 

49th. Mississippi, John J. Pettus, Democrat, 1860-1862, 

50th. Mississippi, Jacob Thompson, Democrat, 1862-1864. 

51st. Mississippi, Charles Clarke, Democrat, 1864-1865. 

52d. Missouri, Claiborne P. Jackson, Democrat, 1861. 

53d. Missouri, Hamilton R. Gamble, Provisional, 1861- 
1864. 

54th. Missouri, Willard P. Hall, (acting), 1864-1865. 

55th. Montana, Sidney Edgarton, (territorial), 1864-1865. 

56th. Montana, Thomas F. Meagher, (acting), 1865-1866. 

57th. Nebraska, Alvin Saunders (territorial), 1861-1867. 

58th. Nevada., James W. Nye, (territorial), 1861-1864. 

59th. Nevada, Henry G. Blasdel, State Republican, 1864- 
1870. 

60th. New Hampshire, Ichabod Goodwin, Republican, 
1859-1861. 

61st. New Hampshire, Nathaniel S. Berry, Republican, 
1861-1863. 

62d. New Hampshire, Joseph A. Gilmore, Republican, 
1863-1865. 

63d. New Hampshire, Frederick Smyth, Republican, 1865- 
1867. 

64th. New Jersey, Charles S. Olden, American, 1860-1863. 

65th. New Jersey, Joel Parker, Democrat, 1863-1866. 

66th. New Mexico, Abraham Rencher (no record of par- 
ty) 1857-1861. ** 

67th. New Mexico, Henry Connelly, (no record of party) 
1861-1865. 



192 MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

68th. New Mexico, W. F. M. Amy, (no record of party) 
1865-1866. 

69th. North Carolina, John W. Ellis Democrat, 1859-1861. 

70th. North Carolina, H. T. Clark, Democrat, 1861-1862. 

71st. North Carolina,, Zebulon B. Vance, Democrat, 1862- 
1865. 

72d. North Carolina, W. W. Holden, Provisional, 1865. 

73d. North Carolina, Jonathan Worth, Conservative, 1865- 
1867. 

74th. North Dakota, Admitted into Union, November 2d., 
1889, by Benj. Harrison. 

75th. Ohio, William Dennison, Republican, 1860-1862. 

76th. Ohio, David Todd, Republican, 1862-1864. 

77th. Ohio, John Brough, Republican, 1864-1865. 

78th. Ohio, C. Anderson, Republican, 1865-1866. 

79th. Oklahoma, 1st governor, Geo. W. Steele, admitted 
June 16, 1906. 

80th. Oregon, John Whitsaker, Democrat, 1859-1862. 

81st. Oregon, Addison C. Gibbs, Republican, 1862-1866. 

82d. Rhode Island, William Sprague, Republican, 1860- 
1863. 

83d. Rhode Island, William C. Cozzens, Republican, 1863. 

84th. Rhode Island, James T. Smith, Republican, 1863- 
1866. 

85th. South Dakota, 1st governor, Arthur C. Mellette, 
1889-1893. 

South Dakota was admitted into the Union November 
3d., 1889. 

86th. South Carolina, Francis W. Pickens, Democrat, 
1860-1862. 

87th. South Carolina, M. L. Bonham, Democrat, 1862- 
1864. 

88th. South Carolina, A. G. Magrath, Democrat, 1864- 
1865. 

89th. South Carolina, Benjamin F. Perry, Provisional, 
1865. 

90th. Tennessee, Isham G. Harris, Democrat, 1857-1862. 

91st. Tennessee, Andrew Johnson, Military, 1862-1865. 

92d. Tennessee. William G. Brownlow, Republican, 1865- 
1869. 

93d. Texas, Samuel Houston, Unionist, 1859-1861. 

94th. Texas, Edward Clark, Democrat, 1861. 



MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 193 

95th. Texas, Francis R. Lubbock, Democrat, 1861-1863. 

96th. Texas, Pendleton Murray, Democrat, 1863-1865. 

97th. Texas, Andrew J. Hamilton, Prov.-Unionist, 1865- 
1866. 

98th. Utah, John W. Dawson, Territorial, 1861. 

99th. Utah, Frank Fuller, (acting) Territorial, 1861-1852. 

100th. Utah, Stephen S. Harding, 1862-1863. 

101st. Utah, James D. Doty, 1863-1865. 

102d. Utah, Charles Durkee, 1865-1869. 

103d. Vermont, Erastus Fairbanks, Republican, 1860-1861 

104th. Vermont, Frederick Holbrook, Republican, 1861- 
1863. 

105th. Vermont, John G. Smith, Republican, 1863-1865. 

106th. Vermont, Paul Dillingham, Republican, 1865-1867. 

107th. Virginia, John Letcher, Democrat, 1860-1864. 

108th. Virginia, William Smith, Democrat, 1864-1865. 

109th. Virginia, Francis H. Pierpont, Republican, 1865- 
1868. 

110th. State of Washington, Henry- M. McGill, 1860-1861. 

111th. Washington, William H. Wallace, 1861. 

112th. Washington, L. J. S. Turner, 1861-1862, 

113th. Washington, William Pickering, 1862-1866. 

114th. West Virginia, Arthur I. Boreman, Republican, 
1863-1869. 

115th. Wisconsin, Alexander W. Randall, Republican, 
1858-1862. 

116th. Wisconsin, Lewis P. Harvey, Republican, 1862. 

117th. Wisconsin, Edward Salomon, Republican, 1862- 
1864. 

118th. Wisconsin, James T. Lewis, Republican, 1864-1866. 

Wyoming 1st Territorial Governor, John A. Campbell, 
1869-1875. 

Wyoming 1st State Governor, Francis E. Warren, Repub- 
lican, 1890. 

The State was admitted to the Union July 10th., 1890, as 
the Constitution adopted in November, 1889, had been ap- 
proved by Congress. 

119th. Arizona, John N. Goodwin, Territorial, Republi- 
can, 1863-1865. 

120th. Arizona, Richard C. McCormick, Territorial Re- 
publican. 1865-1869. 



194 MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

121st. Colorado, William Gilpin, 1st. Territorial Gover- 
nor, 1861-1862. 

122d. Colorado, John Evans, 2d. Territorial Governor, 
1862-1865. 

123d. Colorado, Alexander Cummings, 3d. Territorial 
Governor, 1865-1867. 

A Prominent Visitor with the Army of the Potomac. 

On the occasion of a visit of some prominent General to 
the Army of the Potomac in Virginia during the Civil War, 
a Colonel of one of the regiments observed that one of his 
drummer boys was taking no interest in the music and in- 
tended to do no drumming whatever, on the occasion. The 
Colonel thought he would find out why his drummer failed, 
and was silent in the musical exercises. Said the Colonel to 
the musician, why the dev-1 don 't you drum. The drummer 
told the Colonel, I've got a big turkey in my drum. Tell 
the visitors I'm sick. Well said the Colonel, if you are sick, 
go direct to your quarters immediately, and remain there 
until you are able to use your drum. 



CHAPTER XXVI. 



Biography of Prominent Officers in the Civil War — Field 
and Staff Officers of Jth Pa. Cavalry 1861-1865. 

Major General Eli Long, entered service as second Lieu- 
tenant First U. S. Cavalry, in 1856 ; promoted to First Lieu- 
tenant, March 21, 1861 ; to Captain, May 24, 1861 ; the desig- 
nation of the First being changed to the Fourth Cavalry, 
by act of Congress, in August, 1861; wounded in battle of 
Stone River, December 31, 1862 ; promoted to Colonel Fourth 
Ohio Cavalry, (volunteers) January, 1863; assigned to com- 
mand of Second brigade, Second Cavalry division, Army of 
the Cumberland, June 9, 1863 ; wounded at Farmington, 
Tennessee, October 7th, 1863 ; wounded at Lovejoy, Georgia, 
August 20th, 1864; promoted to Brigadier General, U. S., 
volunteers August 18th, 1864; assigned to command of 
Second division, cavalry corps, Military Division of Missis- 
sippi, November, 1864; wounded at Selma, Alabama, April 
2d, 1865 ; promoted to Major General, U. S., volunteers, 
March 13, 1865, "for distinguished and meritorious services 
during the late campaign in Tennessee, Alabama, and Geor- 
gia." Address, 145 Broadway, New York. 

Robert H. G. Minty, Detroit, Michigan, appointed Ma- 
jor, Second Michigan Cavalry, September 2d, 1861; Lieu- 
tenant Colonel Third Michigan Cavalry, September 7, 1861 ; 
Colonel, Fourth Michigan, July 31, 1862; Brigadier General, 
March 13, 1865, "for srallant and distinguished service"; 
Major General U. S. Volunteers, March " 13th, 1865, "for 
gallant and distinguished service during the war"; com- 
manded with distinction the First Brigade, Second Division 



i 9 6 MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

Cavalry, Army of the Cumberland, from December, 1862, 
until about August 1st, 1864; commanded with special gal- 
lantry the Second Division of Cavalry, during the Kilpatrick 
raid; and again commanded the division after Gen. Long 
was wounded at Selma, Alabama. 

Bi'igadier General, 

George C. Wynkoop, three months' service, who served 
on the Potomac in Gen. Patterson's division. 

Colonels. 

1st. — George C. Wynkoop, mustered Aug. 21, 1861, as 
Colonel Seventh Penna. Cavalry. Discharged on surgeon's 
certificate of disability, mustered out and honorably dis- 
charged July 26, 1863. Died 1885. 

2d. — William B. Sipes, mustered August 21, 1861, as 
Lieut. Colonel, promoted to Colonel July 26, 1863, on ac- 
count of faithful services; resigned Nov. 30, 1864. Mustered 
out and honorably discharged. Author of a history of the 
Seventh Penna Cavalry. Died at Philadelphia, Penna. 

3d.— Charles C. McCormick, mustered Oct. 9, 1861, as 
private company D ; promoted to Captain company L, Nov. 
14, 1861. To Colonel Jan. 10th, 1865, to rank from Dec. 1st., 
1864. On account of distinguished faithful services pro- 
moted to Brevet Brig. General March 3d, 1865, on account 
of special services in the battle of Selma, Alabama, April 
2d., 1865. Mustered out and honorably discharged with 
regiment Aug 23d., 1865. Died at Milton, Penn., Jan. 31st., 
1884. 

Lieutenant Colonels. 

1st.— James J. Seibert, mustered Nov. 14, 1861, as Major, 
captured at Murfreesboro, Tenn., July 13, 1862. Promoted 
to Lieut. Colonel July 26, 1863, on account of faithful ser- 
vices. Discharged Jan. 13, 1865. Died. 

2d. — James F. Andress, mustered Nov. 4, 1861, as Cap- 
tain company G; promoted to Major March 11th, 1864, for 
faithful services; to Lieut. Colonel February 13, 1865, for 
meritorious services in the field. Mustered out and honora- 
bly discharged with regiment Aug. 23d, 1865. 



MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 197 

3d. — Charles L. Greeno, mustered Nov. 1st, 1861, as 
Lieutenant company C; promoted to Captain Co. H, March 
1st, 1863, for faithful services in the field ; to Major Feb. 13, 
1865, to rank from Dec. 22d, 1864 ; to Lieut. Colonel, to date 
from April 2d, 1865, on account of special services and brav- 
ery in the battle of Selma, Alabama. Mustered out and hon- 
orably discharged with regiment, Aug. 23d, 1865. Served 
with distinction on the staff of Gen. Minty, as inspector. 
Address, Cincinnati, Ohio. 

Majors. 

1st.— John E. Wynkoop, mustered Nov. 9, 1861, as Ma- 
jor, promoted to Colonel One Hundred and Eighty-First 
Penna. Volunteers, July 7th, 1863. Mustered out and hon- 
orably discharged. Died. 

2d.— James Given, mustered Dec. 20, 1861, as Major. 
Captured at Lebanon, Tennessee, May 5th, 1862. Resigned 
March 31, 1863. Died. 

3d.— William H. Jennings, mustered in Sept. 28, 1861, as 
Captain Company A, to rank from Aug. 29, 1861 ; promoted 
to Major July 26, 1863, on account of gallantry at Rover, 
Tenn. Mustered out and honorably discharged Dec. 16, 1864. 
At rest in Odd Fellows Cemetery, St. Clair, Penna. 

4th.— Benjamin S. Dartt mustered as Captain Co. C. 
Sept. 28th, 1861, wounded at Shelbyville, Tenn., June 27, 
1863 ; promoted to Major Feb. 13th, 1865 on account of faith- 
ful services. Mustered out and honorably discharged with 
regiment August 23d, 1865, at Macon, Georgia. Died, 1886. 

5th. — Charles C. Davis, mustered as Captain Co. I, Sept. 
1st, 1861, to rank from Aug. 24, 1861. Captured July 27, 
1862, on picket duty at Manchester, Tenn. Promoted to 
Major July 1st, 1863, on account of gallantry and bravery 
at Unionville, and Shelbyville, Tenn. Specially and honora- 
bly mentioned in official reports. Resigned September 16, 

1864, on account of expiration of term of service, mustered 
out and honorably discharged. Formerly Second Lieuten- 
ant Co. I, Second Regiment, Penna. Volunteer Infantry. 
Address, Harrisburg, Penna. 

6th.— Uriah C. Hartranft, to Captain Co. D, Feb. 13, 

1865, to rank from Dec. 20th, 1864; promoted to Major Aug. 
10th, 1865 to rank from June 24th, 1865. Mustered out with 



198 MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

the regiment at Macon, Dallas Co., Georgia, Aug. 23d, 1865. 
Died Aug. 6th, 1903, at Dayton, Ohio. 

7th.— Cyrus Newlin, mustered as Captain Co. F, Oct. 25, 
1861. Wounded at Sparta, Tenn., Aug:. 17th, 1863. Cap- 
tured at Noonday Creek, Ga. June 20th, 1864. Noted for 
special gallantry at Noonday Creek. Promoted to Major 
of the regiment, Oct. 15th, 1864, being a prisoner of war, was 
not mustered. Honorably discharged with rank of Major 
U. S. Vol., April 1st, 1865. 

Adjutants. 

1st,— Richard F. Mosen, mustered Nov. 5, 1861, as Adju- 
tant. Wounded at Lebanon, Tenn., May 5, 1862. Promoted 
to Captain Co. D, May 2d, 1862, not mustered. Resigned 
Jan. 21st, 1863, to accept promotion in the Twentieth Penna. 
Cavalry. Mustered out and honorably discharged. Died. 

2d. — First Lieutenant and Adjutant George F. Steahlin, 
private Co. H, ''Washington Artillerists," 25th Regiment, 
Penna, Volunteer Infantry. Mustered in at Harrisburg, 
Penna., April 18th, 1861. Five companies, 530 strong, were 
the first to arrive at Washington, D. C, April 18, 1861, and 
are known as the "First Defenders of the National Capital." 
Co. B was organized at Fort Washington, Md., in June, 1861, 
to which Geo. F. Steahlin was assigned and detailed as Com- 
pany clerk. Mustered out at Harrisburg, Penn, Aug. 1st, 
1861. Enrolled in Co. F, 7th Penna. Cavalry, Oct., 1861. 
Mustered in Nov. 14, 1861, as 1st Sergeant. Promoted to 
1st Lieutenant and Adjutant, vice R. F. Mosen, resigned 
Jan. 25, 1863. Mustered in Feb. 20th, 1863, to Capt. Co. 
E,, Nov. 1st, 1864. Mustered out Jan. 7th, 1865. Member of 
Jerry Helms Post No. 26, G. A. R., Schuylkill Haven, Penn. 
Post Commander 1900-01 ; member of Union Veteran Legion 
No. 43, Reading. Berks Co., Penn. Appointed by Gov. P'atti- 
son of Penna. a member of the Chickamauga-Chattanooga 
Battle-field Commission, Secretary and Treasurer of the 7th 
Penna. Veteran Volunteer Cavalry Association. Died at 
Orwisrsburg, Schuylkill Co. Penna,, Feb. 25th, 1903. 

3d. — William W. Watts, recruit, mustered in Co. I, March 
7, 1864; promoted to First Lieut, and Adjutant March 2d, 
1865. Mustered in May 15th, 1865. Mustered out with reg- 
iment at Macon, Georgia, Aug. 23d, 1865. Residence, Car- 
lisle, Cumberland Co., Penna. 



MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 199 

Battalion Adjutants. 

1st.— William F. Allen, Sergeant Co. A; mustered in Sept. 
28, 1861. Promoted to Battalion Adjutant Jan. 13th, 1862. 
Assigned to First Battalion. Honorably discharged as an 
excess officer Sept. 19th, 1862. Commissioned Second Lieut. 
Co, H, 162d regiment— 17th Penna. Vol. Cavalry — Nov. 1st, 
1862. Promoted to First Lieut. Feb. 17th, 1863 to Captain, 
Feb. 8th, 1865. Mustered out June 26th, 1865. Died April 
1st, 1885. At rest in Jerseytown, Columbia Co., Penna. 

2d. — Nicholas A. Wynkoop, Sergeant Co. D (Nagle 
Guards). Sixth Regiment Penna. Infantry (three months 
term). Mustered in April 22d, 1861. Mustered out July 27, 
1861. Mustered in as private Co. L, 7th Penn. Cav. Oct. 
15th, 1861. Promoted to Battalion Adjutant Jan. 1st, 1862. 
Assigned to Second Battalion Aide de Camp to Brig. Gen. 
Peter Johnson, killed Aug. 21, 1862, in action at Gallatin, 
Tenn. 

3d.— James H. B. Warfield, private Co. D (Nagle Guards) 
Sixth Regiment Penna. Infantry, (three months term), mus- 
tered in April 22d, 1861. Mustered out July 27, 1861. Mus- 
tered in as private Co. F, 7th Penna, Cav. Nov. 14th, 1861. 
Promoted to Corporal Nov. 15th, 1861, to Battalion Adjutant 
Jan. 1st, 1862. Honorably discharged as an excess officer 
Sept. 3d, 1862. Commissioned Second Lieut. Co. L, Nov. 
15th, 1862. Mustered out 1865. Residence 1318 Seltzer St., 
Philadelphia, Penna. 

Qua rtermasters. 

1st.— Thomas H. Rickert, First Lieut. Co. A. Mustered 
in Sept. 28th, 1861. Promoted to Quartermaster Nov. 5, 
1861. Appointed Brigade Quartermaster 1863 to 1864. Di- 
vision Quartermaster 1864, to muster out. Mustered out 
Nov. 5th, 1864, expiration of term. Died Nov. 16, 1899, at 
Pottsville, Schuylkill Co., Penna. At rest in Charles Baker 
Cemetery, Pottsville, Penna, 

2d.— John B. Reed, Regimental Quartermaster Sergeant, 
mustered in Sept. 28, 1861. Promoted to Battalion Quarter- 
master and Commissary of Subsistence Jan. 1st, 1862. Hon- 
orably discharged Sept. 1st, 1862, as an excess officer. Com- 
missioned Commissary of Subsistence Oct. 15, 1862. Died 



200 MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

Feb. 22d, 1898, at Mt. Carmel, Penna. Laid to rest at Sha- 
mokin, Northumberland Co., Penna. 

3d.— George B. F. Kitchen, veteran, Private Co. A. Re- 
enlisted as a veteran. Mustered in Sept. 28, 1861. Promot- 
ed to Quartermaster Nov. 29, 1864. Mustered in Dec. 7, 
1864. Promoted to Captain Co. A, July 24, 1865. Mustered 
out with company at Macon, Ga., Aug. 23d, 1865. Died Dec. 
13th, 1883, at Shenandoah, Schuylkill Co., Penna, 

4th. — Charles T. Trego, Sergeant Co. B. Mustered in 
Nov. 14, 1861. Re-enlisted as a veteran Nov. 1863. Pro- 
moted to Regimental Quartermaster Sergeant, Dec. 7th, 
1864. to Quartermaster July 24, 1865. Mustered out with 
regiment at Macon, Georgia; Aug. 23d, 1865. Residence, 
Soldiers' Home, Hampton, Virginia. 

Battalion Quartermasters. 

1st.— William J. McQuade, Sergeant Co. H (Washington 
Artillerists), 25th Regiment Penna. Infantry, mustered in 
April 18, 1861. Promoted to Second Lieut. Co. B. Mustered 
out Aug. 1st, 1861. Five companies of the 25th Regiment 
Penna, Volunteer Infantry, first volunteer troops to arrive at 
Washington, D. C, April 18th, 1861. Now known as the 
First Defenders of the Capital. Private Co. H, 7th Penna. 
Cavalry. Mustered in Sept. 23d, 1861. Promoted to Bat- 
talion Quartermaster and Commissary of Subsistence. As- 
signed to First Battalion, Jan. 1, 1862. Honorably dis- 
charged as an excess officer May 23, 1863. Member of Alli- 
son Brothers Post, No. 144, Port Carbon, Schuylkill Co., Pa. 
Has served as Post Commander. Residence, Port Carbon, 
Penna. 

2d. — John D. Burge, Quartermaster Sergeant (Llewellyn 
Rifles), Sixth Regiment, Penna. Volunteer Infantry, three 
months service. Mustered in April 22d, 1861. Mustered out 
July 27th, 1861. Private Co. F, 7th, Penna. Cavalry. Mus- 
tered in Oct. 22d, 1861. Promoted to Battalion Quartermas- 
ter and Commissary of Subsistence Jan. 1st, 1862. Honora- 
bly discharged as an excess officer May 12, 1862. 

3d.— Richard H Fisk, Corporal Co. F. Mustered in Nov. 
14, 1861. Promoted to Battalion Quartermaster and Com- 
missary of Subsistence Jan. 1st, 1862. Commissioned March 
1st, 1864. Mustered in March 11th, 1864. Commissioned Cap- 



MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 201 

tain Co. F, Oct. 15th, 1864. Not mustered. Resigned May 1st, 
1865. Died April 4th, 1872, at St. Albans, W. Va. At rest 
in Ewing's Churchyard Cemetery, Mercer Co., New Jersey. 

Commissary of Subsistence. 

1st.— George S. Frazer, Sergeant Co. K. Mustered in 
Oct. 12, 1861. Promoted to Regimental Commissary Ser- 
geant Nov. 1st, 1863. Re-enlisted as a veteran at Huntsville, 
Alabama, Nov. 1863. Promoted Commissary of Subsistence 
Dec. 20th, 1864. Mustered in Feb. 15th, 1865. Discharged 
May 21st, 1865. Died Jan. 26th, 1898, at Pittsburg, Penn. 
At rest at Connelsville Fayette Co., Penn. 

2nd.— Michael Breckbill. Mustered in Co. D. Oct. 9th, 
1861. Promoted to Quartermaster Sergeant. Re-enlisted as 
a veteran at Huntsville Alabama, Nov. 28th, 1863. Promoted 
to Second Lieut. Co. Dec. 20th, 1864. Mustered in Feb. 13th, 
1865, Promoted to Commissary of Subsistence July 24, 1865. 
Mustered in Aug. 10th, 1865. Mustered out with regiment at 
Macon, Georgia, Aug. 23rd, 1865. Residence Danville, Mon- 
tour Co. Penn. 

Surgeons. 

1st.— Alexander M. Speer, Surgeon 12th, Regiment, Penn 
Volunteers; (three months service) Mustered in April 25, 
1861. Mustered out Aug. 5th, 1861. Surgeon 7th, Penn. 
Cavalry Commissioned Sept. 14th, 1861. Mustered in Nov. 
14, 1861. Promoted to Surgeon TJ. S. Volunteers, June 1st, 
1863. Residence 255 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburg, Alleghany Co. 
Penn. 

2nd.— John L. Sherk, Assistant Surgeon. Commissioned 
Sept. 14th, 1861. Mustered in Nov. 4th, 1861. Promoted to 
Surgeon June 23rd, 1863. Killed Dec. 29th, 1864, at Bards- 
town, Nelson Co., Kentucky, by guerrillas. 

3rd.— William B. Hezlep, mustered in June 27th, 1865. 
Mustered out with regiment at Macon, Georgia, Aug. 23rd. 
1865. Died Aug. 27th, 1887, at Wilkinsburg, Penn. 

Assistant Surgeons. 

1st.— Reuben S. Shirner, supernumerary, Commissioned 
Aug. 4th, 1862, not mustered. Transferred from regiment 
March 20, 1863. 



202 MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

2nd.— Theodore J. Jung. Mustered in Jan. 1st, 1863. 
Mustered out with regiment at Macon, Georgia, Aug. 23rd, 
1865. Died Nov. 22d, 1900, at Titusville, Crawford Co., Pa. 
At rest in Greendale, Cemetery, Meadville Penn. 

3rd. — George F. Harris, commissioned March 21st, 1864. 
Mustered in March 23rd, 1864. Resigned Sept. 20,1864. Res- 
idence Bellefonte, Centre Co. Penna. 

4th.— George Z. Pretz, mustered in July 24th, 1865. Mus- 
tered out with regiment at Macon, Ga., Aug. 23rd, 1865. 
Residence 186 Remsen St., Brooklyn, New York. 

Chaplains. 

1st.— Reuben A. Drake, commissioned Oct. 10th, 1861. 
Mustered in Nov. 1st, 1861. Resigned Dec. 10th, 1862. 

2nd. — Charles A. Rittenhouse, mustered in March 4th, 

1864. Resigned May 1st, 1865. Residence Norristown, 
Mont'y Co. Pa. 

Non -Comm ission ed Staff. 

Veterinary Surgeon, George F. Parry, mustered in June 
22nd, 1863. Date of muster out omitted. Died Dec.lOth, 
1886, at Newtown, Bucks Co. Penna. 

Sergeant Major. — D. Webster Rank, mustered in Oct. 
9th, 1861. Promoted from Sergeant Co. D. to Sergeant Ma- 
jor, Nov. 18th, 1861, to Second Lieut. Co. B, Nov. 1st, 1862; 
to First Lieut. Co. M, May 1st, 1863 ; to Captain Co. M, Sept. 
15th, 1864. Mustered out Dec. 16th, 1864, expiration of ser- 
vice. Residence Limestoneville, Montour Co. Penna. 

Sergeant Major. — Charles Brandt. Mustered in Dec. 
21st, 1861. Promoted from Sergeant Co. M, to Sergeant Maj- 
or July 1st, 1863; to Second Lieut. Co. M, March 9th, 1864; 
to First Lieut. Sept. 15th, 1864; to Captain Dec. lst,1864. 
Reported dead. 

Sergeant Major— Coleman H. Watts, recruit. Mustered 
in March 7th, 1864. Promoted to Sergeant Major from Ser- 
geant Co. M April 7,1864. Formerly Member of Co. B, 60th, 
Regiment Penna, Volunteers (3rd, Pa. Cavalry) April 3rd, 

1865, to rank from Jan. 1st, 1865. Mustered out May 28th, 
1865. Died Feb. 2nd, 1896, at Chicago, Illinois. 

Sergeant Major.— George Nutz, recruit. Mustered in 
Feb. 29th, 1864. Promoted from Sergeant Co. F, to Sergeant 



MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 203 

Major May 9th, 1865. Commissioned First Lieut. Co. F, 
July 24th, 1865. Mustered out with regiment at Macon, 
Ga. ; Aug. 23rd, 1865. Reported at rest. 

Regimental Q. M. Sergeants. 

1st,— Hugh B. Moonsy, mustered in Nov. 4th, 1861. Pro- 
moted from Co. G, to Quartermaster Sergeant Jan. 1st, 1862. 
Resigned Feb. 3rd, 1863. 

2nd.— Jesse B. Rank, mustered in Oct. 31st, 1861. Pro- 
moted to Second Lieut. Co. D, Jan. 11th, 1864, to rank from 
April 11th, 1863. Commissioned First Lieut. Dec. 1st, 1864. 
Mustered out Jan. 6th, 1865. Residence Washington, D. C. 

3rd.— Charles T. Trego, veteran. Mustered in Nov. 14th, 
1861. Re-enlisted as a veteran at Huntsville, Alabama, Nov. 

1863. Promoted to Regimental Q. M, Sergeant Dec. 7th, 

1864. Commissioned First Lieut, and Quartermaster July 
24, 1865. Mustered out with regiment at Macon, Georgia, 
Aug. 23rd, 1865. Residence, Soldiers' Home, Hampton, Va. 

4th, Commissary Sergeant.— E. H. Rosencrans, recruit. 
Mustered in Feb. 6th, 1863. Promoted to Corporal, to Com- 
missary Sergeant 1864. Mustered out with regiment at 
Macon, Georgia, Aug. 23rd, 1865. 

Hospital Stewards, 

1st.— William M. Irwin. Mustered in Oct. 16, 1861. Pro- 
moted to Hospital Steward from private Co. K, Oct. 16, 1861. 
Re-enlisted as a veteran at Huntsville, Alabama, Nov. 28th, 
1863. Mustered out with regiment at Macon, Georgia; Aug. 
23rd, 1865. Residence, Mobile, Alabama. 

2nd. — Francis W. Keys, recruit. Mustered in 28th, 1863. 
Promoted from private Co. K, Jan. 12th, 1864. Mustered out 
with regiment at Macon, Georgia ; Aug. 23, 1865. Residence 
Wilawana,, Bradford Co., Penna. 

Saddlers 

1st.— Jeremiah L. Eich. Mustered in Nov. 1st, 1861. Pro- 
moted from saddler Co. C, March 13th, 1863. Re-enlisted as 
a veteran Nov. 1863. Transferred as a private to Co. C, 
Mustered out with regiment at Macon, Georgia; Aug. 23rd, 
1865. 



204 MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

2nd.— Oliver P. Rarr, mustered in Oct. 31st, 1861. Re- 
enlisted as a veteran Nov. 1863. Promoted from Saddler Co. 
D, Dec. 1, 1864. Mustered out at Macon, Ga. Residence 
Watsontown, Penna. 

Chief Buglers. 

1st. — Joseph Ashman, mustered in Sept. 28th, 1861. Pro- 
moted from Rugler Co. A, Jan. 1st, 1862, P. 0. Address, un- 
known. 

2nd. — John S. Cole, veteran. Mustered in Sept. 3rd, 1861. 
Promoted from Rugler Co. I, May 1st, 1863. Re-enlisted as 
a veteran at Huntsville, Alabama, Nov. 1863. Mustered out 
with regiment at Macon, Georgia; Aug. 23rd, 1865. Enlisted 
in U. S. Regular Army, (regiment unknown.) and killed in 
one of the engagements with Indians. Rest practial Rugler 
of his regiment. (7th, Penna.) 



Historical Sketch of the Seventh Pennsylvania Cavalry. 
1861-1865. 

The authority to raise this regiment was given on the 
27th of August, 1861, to William R. Sipes, of Philadelphia, 
by the Hon. Simon Cameron, Secretary of War. Companies 
A and F were recruited in Schuylkill County, R in Lycom- 
ing and Tioga, C in Tioga and Rradford, D in Northumber- 
land and Montour, E in Clinton and Centre, G in Chester, 
H in Montour and Luzerne, I in Dauphin, K in Cumberland, 
L in Rerks and Company M in Allegheny. The companies 
were recruited, for the most part, by their officers and at 
their expense, the grade of their commissions depending as a 
general rule upon their success in securing men. Their 
military experience was in general limited to the three 
months' service. The companies rendezvoused at Camp 
Cameron, near Harrisburg, where a regimental organization 
was effected, and the following field officers were commis- 
sioned : George C. Wynkoop, of Pottsville, Colonel ; William 
R. Sipes, of Philadelphia, Lieutenant Colonel; James J. Sei- 
bert, of Philadelphia, James Given, of West Chester, and 
John E. Wynkoop, of Pottsville, Majors. Colonel Wynkoop 
had been connected with the state militia as an officer of cav- 
alry for more than twenty years, had served as Rrig.-Gen. 



MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 205 

of Volunteers in the three months' service', and it was 
through the active exertions of Lieut.-Col. Sipes, who had 
little military experience beyond that of the three months ' 
service, that he was selected to lead the regiment. 

Clothing was promptly issued to the men upon entering 
camp and the regiment was regularly exercised in dismount- 
ed drill. Side arms were received while at Camp Cameron 
and horses were supplied, but not issued until after arriv- 
ing at Jeffersonville, Indiana. 

On the 18th of December, the elegant silk flags, which 
had been presented to the regiment by the ladies of Potts- 
ville, were now turned over to the command by Gov. An- 
drew G. Curtin, from the steps of the State Capitol, and on 
the following day, in pursuance of orders from the Secretary 
of War, the regiment started for Louisville, Ky., where, upon 
its arrival, it reported to Gen. Buell, in command of the 
Department of the Cumberland, and was placed in camp of 
instruction at Jeffersonville, Ind. Belgian rifles were issued, 
but were soon after condemned and turned in and subse- 
quently the Smith and Burnside carbines were given. 

Towards the close of January, 1862, the regiment broke 
camp and moving leisurely southward through Kentucky, 
arrived at Nashville, T'enn., soon after its occupation by 
Union forces. Here the three battalions were separated, the 
first, under Major Wynkoop, being assigned to Gen. Weg- 
ley's Brigade, and sent with him to Columbia; the second 
under Col. "Wynkoop, to the command of Gen. Dumont, gar- 
risoning Nashville; and the third, under Major Given, to 
Col. Duifield's command, two companies being stationed at 
Murfreesboro, and two at Lebanon. The duty imposed, at 
this time, consisted in scouting in Western and Middle Ten- 
nessee, and as far east as the Cumberland Mountains. 

Colonel Fox credits the command with the following bat- 
tles: From May 5th, 1862, to April 16th, 1865, Lebanon, 
T'enn. ; McMinnville, Tenn. ; Murfreesboro, Tenn. ; Verbilla, 
Tenn. ; Gallatin, Tenn. ; Fayetteville, Tenn. ; Brentwood, 
Tenn. ■ Bear Wallow, Ky. ; Lavergne, Tenn. ; Bowling Green, 
Ky. ; Stone River, Tenn. ; Unionville, T'enn. ; Snow Hill, 
Tenn.; Alexandria, Tenn.; Shelbyville, Tenn.; Chicka- 
mauga, Ga. ; Mission Ridge, Tenn. ; Cumberland Mountains, 
Oct. 4th, 1863; Dallas, Ga.; Big Shanty, Ga. ; McAfee's 
Crossroads, June 11th, 1864; Noonday Creek, Ga. ; iFlat 



206 MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

Rock, Ga. ; Atlanta, Ga, ; Lovejoy's Station; Vinings Station; 
Rome, Ga. ; Lead's Crossroads; Monte Vallo, Ala.; Ebenezer 
Church, Ala. ; Plantersville, Ala. ; Selma, Ala,, and Columbus, 
Ga. 

Women's Relief Corps. 

A woman's patriotic society organized in July, 1883, and 
known as an auxiliary to the Grand Army of the Republic. 
The society is composed chiefly of the mothers, wives, 
daughters and sisters of Union soldiers of the Civil War, 
however, all loyal women are eligible to membership. The 
organization, like the G. A. R. is divided into departments, of 
which there are thirty-five, and into smaller divisions called 
corps, of which there are 2,978, with a total membership of 
152,233. The society has expended over $2,000,000 in chari- 
ties among the widows and orphans of Union veterans. An 
organization known as the Ladies of the G. A. R. is composed 
of the wives, mothers, daugthers, sisters, nieces, and all lin- 
eal descendants of soldiers and sailors of the Civil War, army 
nurses are also eligible as members. Indeed both societies, 
are highly spoken of and praised throughout the country, at 
Camp Fires and re-unions, for the fine dinners served by 
them on such happy occasions. 



Sons of Veterans. 

A patriotic society founded in Philadelphia, Pa., on Sept. 
29th, 1879. It admits to> membership all lineal male descen- 
dants of honorably discharged soldiers, sailors,, and marines 
who served in the Civil War. The badge consists of a bronze 
bar on which are the words 'Filii Veteranorum, ' and suspen- 
ded from this bar is a red, white, and blue ribbon attached 
to a medalion containing a monogram of the letters 'S. V. r 
in relief on a, wreath over crossed cannons, surmounted by 
a spread eagle. 

On a similar character is another noble society known as 
Daughters of Veterans which admits to membership daugh- 
ters of honorably discharged soldiers, sailors, and marines, 
and daughters of Sons of Veterans, who are over fifteen 
years of age. 



MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 207 

Union Veteran Legion. 

A patriotic organization, organized in Pittsburg, Pa., in 
March, 1884. The simple requirements for admission to the 
G. A. R. had lead to criticism, and in consequence the Union 
Veteran Legion requires for admission to membership that 
the applicant must have volunteered previous to July 1st, 
1863, for a term of three years and have served two years 
continuously in the same command unless discharged by rea- 
son of wounds. There are organizations in Twenty-one States 
and the District of Columbia, and about one hundred and 
fifty local bodies known as encampments, with a total mem- 
bership of nearly 20,000. It also contains as an auxiliary an 
organization of women known as Ladies of the Union Vet- 
eran Legion. 



CHAPTER XXVII. 



President Lincoln's Address — Gallant Charge of First Minne- 
sota at Gettysburg — Parson Brownlow' s Daughter. 

President Lincoln's eloquent and beautiful address at the 
dedication of the National Cemetery at G-ettysberg, Novem- 
ber 18th, 1863. Its originality and classic diction must com- 
mend it to the favorable consideration of the ripest scholars 
and orators:— 

"Four score and seven years ago, our fathers brought 
forth upon this continent a new nation, conceived in Liber- 
ty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created 
equal. Now we are engaged in a great Civil War, testing 
whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedi- 
cated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field 
of that war. We are met to dedicate a portion of it as the 
final resting-place of those who here gave their lives that 
that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper 
that we should do this. 

"But in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate, we cannot 
consecrate, we cannot hallow this ground. The brave men, 
living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it far 
above our power to add or detract. The world will little 
note, nor long remember what we say here ; but it can never 
forget what they did here. It is for us, the living, rather to 
be dedicated here to the unfinished work that they have thus 
far so nobly carried on. It is rather for us here to be dedi- 
cated to the great task remaining before us — that from these 
honored dead we take increased devotion to the cause for 



MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 209 

which they here gave the last full measure of devotion,— that 
we are here highly resolved that the dead shall not have 
died in vain, that the nation shall, under God, have a new 
birth of freedom, and that the government of the people, by 
the people, and for the people^ shall not perish from the 
earth." 

First Minnesota at Gettysburg* — Story of a Famous Charge. 

From Minneapolis Journal: History has recorded no 
braver charge than that led by "Rough and Ready" Col. 
William Colville at Gettysburg. The charge prevented the 
utter rout and destruction of the entire left wing of the 
Union forces. It was the First Minnesota against an ad- 
vancing victorious army. It was the salvation of the day at 
a cost of annihilation. Of all the gallant deeds credited to 
the Minnesota troops during the bloody Civil War period, 
none stand out with greater brilliancy than the magnificent 
charge, made at a terrible sacrifice, of the First Minn. Vol- 
unteer Infantry, on the field of Gettysburg, July 2d, 1863. 
In repelling an advancing force of some 6000 Confederates, 
the little body of 262 men kept the Union line unbroken, and 
was for a few fateful minutes solely responsible for the re- 
sult of the decisive battle of war. From the hill, where the 
gallant First lay in reserve, they could see Birney's and 
Humphrey's divisions, the one on the lines from the peach 
orchard to Devil's Den, the other on the Emmittsburg road, 
battling for life against the masses of Longstreet's sturdy 
infantry. On their right, in the depression on Cemetery 
Ridge, which was Sickle's original position, there was not 
a man. This dangerous gap was, perhaps, half a mile long. 
Sickle 's men were in the form of an angle, the point toward 
the enemy, and were being raked with a galling cross-fire. 
While Sickles was able to hold out in front all was well, but 
once he began to lose ground the open space to the left of 
the Second Corps was a dangerous place. Gradually the 
Union men were forced back through the space between the 
First Minnesota and Little Round Top. Every moment the 
retreat became more of a rout, till finally the men of the 
First Minnesota, lying in double battle line formation, had 
to turn on their sides to permit the command of disordered 
troops to pass through. 



210 MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

Williard's Brigade had been ordered to relieve the threat- 
ened point but could not arrive in time. 

At this critical juncture General Hancock, with a single 
aide, (orderly) rode up at full speed and for a moment vainly 
endeavored to rally Sickle 's retreating men. Then his quick 
eye caught sight of the perfectly formed First Minnesota. 
Galloping up to it the handsome General, his face all aglow 
with activity and excitement, cried "What regiment is 
this V 9 " First Minn., ' ' replied Col. Colville. ' ' Charge those 
lines," commanded Hancock. Every man of the First rea- 
lized in an instant what this order meant — death or wounds 
to all; the sacrifice of the regiment to gain a few moments 
time and save the position— probably the battle-field. Every 
man saw and accepted the necessity of the sacrifice, and, re- 
sponding to the unhesitating orders of Col. Colville, the regi- 
ment, in perfect line, with arms at "right shoulder shift," 
was in a moment sweeping down the slope directly on the 
enemy's center. No hesitation, no stopping to fire, though 
the men fell at every stride before the fire of the whole Con- 
federate force directed upon it as soon as the movement was 
observed. Silently, without orders, double quick was 
changed to utmost speed; for in greater speed lay the only 
hope of passing through that storm of lead and striking the 
enemy. 

"Charge shouted Colville. With leveled bayonets the 
regiment rushed upon the first line of the Confederates, who 
in turn had been slightly disordered by crossing a brook at 
the foot of the slope. Men were never made who could stand 
against leveled bayonets driven with such momentum and 
desperation. The first line of Confederates broke as the 
steel of the First Minnesota reached it, and rushed back 
through the second line, stopping the whole advance. The 
Fist Minn., then poured in its first fire, the men taking ad- 
vantage of such shelter as the low banks of the dry brook 
afforded, held the entire force at bay for considerable time, 
and until the Union reserves appeared on the brow of the hill 
the brave First had recently left. Had the enemy rallied 
quickly to a counter charge, their vastly greater number 
would have crushed the First Minn., men in a moment. But 
the ferocity of the onset seemed to paralyze them for a time, 
although they poured in a terrible, continuous fire from 
front and enveloping flanks. Then under the added fire of 



MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 211 

the advancing Union reserves, the Conf edarates began to re- 
tire and the First Minnesota was ordered back to the r&- 
serves. 

What Hancock had ordered Col. Cblville to do was thor- 
oughly done. But nearly every officer was dead or lay wel- 
tering with bloody wounds. Among the latter were the gal- 
lant Col. Colville and every field officer. Of the 262 men 
who made the charge 215 lay upon the field stricken by Con- 
federate bullets, forty-seven only were still in line. And not 
a man was missing. 

There is no parallel to this charge. In its desperate valor, 
complete execution, successful result, and in its sacrifice of 
men in proportion to the number engaged, authentic history 
has no record with which it can be compared. 

Col. Colville fell shortly after he gave the order to charge, 
and his dauntless regiment executed his final order without 
his leadership. He was shot in the shoulder and in the foot, 
being maimed for life, though he insisted on rejoining his 
regiment as soon as his condition would permit. 



Parson Brownlow* s Daughter. 

Editor National Tribune: The following poem was writ- 
ten by John Boyle Captain Co. D, 96th, Penna., while in camp 
at White Oak Church, Virginia, in 1863, shortly after the 
Brownlow episode in Knoxville, Tenn. Brownlow was a 
prisoner in his own house and he put the old flag out on his 
porch, and a confederate squad was sent to take the flag 
down. His daughter wrapped the flag around her and dared 
them, with revolver in hand, to touch it. Corporal B. T. 
Johns, Co. A, 49th, Penna, 

When treason loosed the dogs of war, , 

And gave the land to slaughter, 
To stay its wrath, and curb its rage 

Rose Parson Brownlow 's daughter. 
Like one inspired from Heaven she stood, 

While passion raged around her, 
And dared the miscreant band which strove 

To rend the flag which wound her. 



212 MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

"Touch it who dares!" she boldly cried, 

While from her dark eyes flashing, 
Streamed glints of wrath as fly the sparks 

From swords in battle clashing. 
1 ' Touch it who dares and he shall rue 

His traitor burthened folly, 
This barking steel shall let its soul 

Seek sheol with a volley, 

"This flag is sacred, born of men 

Whose virtues live in story, 
Who bore it safe through many a fight, 

With undiminished glory ; 
And it has made you what you are, 

A people great and glorious 
Loved, feared, revered by all the world, 

O'er every foe victorious. 

What sudden madness fires your brain, 

What demon does possess you, 
What providence has seized your frame 

To torture and distress you ? 
Oh, men, if men you be at all, 

Awake from your delusion ; 
You've all to lose and naught to gain, 

Through this insane confusion. 

"What! can no words of mine have weight 

To turn you from pursuing 
The course that leads along the brink 

Of infamy and ruin. 
False-hearted ones, and cowards all, 

I scorn you and despise you; 
Bright paragons of chivalry, 

The name of men belies you. 

"And unprotected though I be, 

I'll guard this starry token 
Until the cord which holds my soul 

Unto my frame is broken." 
Awed by her actions and her words 

The thoughtless crowd like tory 



MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 213 

Recoiled, retreated from the spot, 
And left her in her glory. 

Unto her form Old Glory clung, 

In its unsullied splendor 
As if 'twere conscious of the stand 

Made by its brave defender; 
The very air seemed fragrant with 

A heavenly inspiration, 
And haloed 'round like the light, 

Around the fair creation. 

Long may she flourish in the land 

In an exalted station, 
And with her sire be treasured with 

The jewels of the Nation. 
And when in death her eyelids close, 

May fame upon time's pages 
Record her name and deeds with those 

Which speak to after ages. 



CHAPTER XXVIII. 



Lives of Noble, Self- Made Men — Nicholas Longworth — Col, 
IngersoWs Oration— Brief History of Pennsylvania. 

Men are naturally cheered and encouraged by the success 
of others, and those who are worthy of a similar reward will 
not fail to learn valuable lessons from the examples of the 
men who have preceded them. 

Our sole aim shall be, to tell simply and truthfully the 
story of the trials and triumphs of our self-made men, to 
show how they overcame where others failed, and to offer 
the record of their lives as models worthy of the imitation 
of the young men of our country. 

Nicholas Longworth. 

The grape culture of the United States is yet in its in- 
fancy. Although the annual wine product is estimated at 
nearly three millions of gallons, there can be no doubt that 
before many years shall have passed, our country will rank 
as one of the most important wine countries of the world. 
California is already extending her vineyards for miles 
along her smiling valleys, where the clear sky and balmy 
air, which are unchangeable at the season of the grape har- 
vest, permit a degree of perfection in the fruit unattainable 
in any European country. Already her wines are command- 
ing an enviable place in the markets of the world, with no 
apparent limit to the growing demand for them. The hill- 
sides of the lower Ohio valley are lined with thriving vine- 



MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 215 

yards, where rich clusters of Catawba and Isabella grapes 
delight the eye on every hand, and thousands of acres are 
now given to successful grape culture, where formerly only 
a few straggling vines were seen. More than 500,000 gal- 
lons of wine are now annually produced in the vicinity of 
Cincinnati alone, and find a market in that city, and what 
was but a few years ago a mere experiment is now one of 
the chief sources of the wonderful prosperity of the Ohio 
valley, and one of the most important features in the com- 
merce of the Queen City of the West, The success which 
has attended this branch of our industry must be a matter 
of happy concern to the whole country, and the man to 
whose energy, and liberality it is mainly due must be re- 
garded as a popular benefactor. 

This venerable man, Nicholas Longwarth by name, was 
born at Newark, New Jersey, Jan. 16th, 1782, His father 
had been a man of large property, but in consequence of his 
loyalty to Great Britain during the Revolution, his pos- 
sessions were confiscated, and he and his family made desti- 
tute. Young Nicholas' childhood was passed in indigence, 
and it is said that he was apprenticed to a shoemaker, when 
a mere lad, to learn the trade as a means of support. Though 
as this may be, it is certain that when very young he went to 
South Carolina as a clerk for his elder brother. The cli- 
mate of the South, however, did not suit his health, and he 
returned to Newark, and began the study of the law. He 
was poor, and the East was overcrowded, even at that early 
day, and offered but few inducements to a young man en- 
tirely dependent upon his own efforts. Ohio was then the 
"Far West," and emigration was setting in toward it rap- 
idly. Those who had seen the country, related what then 
seemed marvelous tales of its great fertility and progress. 
Few professional men were leaving for the distant land, 
and Mr. Longworth felt convinced that the services of such 
a man would assuredly be in demand, and he resolved to 
cast his lot with the West. In 1803, at the age of twenty- 
one, he removed to the little village of Cincinnati, and, 
having fixed upon this place as his future home, entered the 
law office of Judge Jacob Burnet, long the ablest jurist in 
Ohio. He soon won the confidence and esteem of his in- 
structor, and succeeded so well in his studies that he was 
soon admitted to the bar. 



216 MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

He entered upon the practice of his profession with 
energy and soon acquired a profitable business, which in- 
creased rapidly. He was a man of simple habits, and lived 
within his income. His savings were considerable, and were 
regularly invested by him in real estate in the suburbs of 
the town. Land was cheap at that time, some of his lots 
costing him but ten dollars each. Long before his death 
they were worth more than as many thousands. He had a 
firm conviction that Cincinnati was destined to become one 
of the largest and most prosperous cities on the continent, 
and that his real estate would increase in value at a rate 
which would make him wealthy in a very few years. 

His first client was a man accused of horse-stealing, in 
those days the most heinous offense known to Western law. 
Longworth secured his acquittal, but the fellow had no 
money to pay his counsel, and in the absence of funds gave 
Longworth two second-hand copper stills, which were his 
property. These the lawyer accepted, thinking that he 
could easily dispose of them for cash, as they were rare and 
valuable there in those days. They were in the possession 
of Mr. Joel Williams, who carried on a tavern adjacent to 
the river, and who was afterward one of the largest proper- 
ty-holders in Cincinnati. Mr. Williams was building a dis- 
tillery at the time, and, as he had confidently calculated upon 
using the two stills in his possession, was considerably over- 
come when Longworth presented his order for them. In his 
extremity he offered to purchase them from the attorney 
for a lot of thirty acres of barren land in the town, which 
was then worth little or nothing. 

Longworth hesitated, for although he had an almost 
prophetic belief in the future value of the land, he was 
sorely in need of ready money; but finally he accepted the 
offer. The deed for the land was made out in his name, 
and the stills became the property of Mr. Williams. The 
distillery was built, and its owner amassed a fortune ; but 
Longworth did more. His thirty-three acres of barren land 
were soon in the very heart of Cincinnati, and long before 
his death were valued at $2,000,000. The foresight of Mr. 
Longworth was fully justified by the course of events. The 
growth of Cincinnati was almost miraculous ; in 1810, 2,540 ; 
in 1820, 9,060; in 1830, 24,831; in 1840, 46,338; in 1850, 
118,761; and in 1860, three years before Mr. Longworth 's 



MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 217 

death, 171,2,93 inhabitants. The reader can easily imagine 
the immense profits which a half century's increase placed 
in the hands of the far-seeing lawyer. It seems almost like 
reading some old fairy tale to peruse the accounts of suc- 
cessful ventures in real estate in American cities. They 
have sprung up as if by magic, and it is impossible to say 
where their development will end. The investment of a 
comparatively trivial sum eventually laid the foundation of 
his fortune, and the first counsel fee he ever earned, a sum 
trifling in itself, placed him in possession of millions. Mr. 
Longworth continued carefully to invest his gains in real 
estate. The prices paid by him increased, of course, with the 
rise in the value of property, but as he was persuaded that 
the limit had not yet been reached, he extended his opera- 
tions without fear of loss. He sold many of his original 
purchases, but continued until the day of his death the 
largest land-owner in the city. In 1850 his taxes were over 
$17,000, and in the same year the taxes of Wm. B. Astor 
amounted to $23,116. At the time of his death Mr. Long- 
worth's estate was valued at $15,000,000, and is probably 
worth fully one-third more at the present day. 

Mr. Longworth retired from the practice of the law in 
1819, to devote himself to the management of his property, 
which was already sufficiently important to require his undi- 
vided attention. He had always been an enthusiast in horti- 
cultural matters, and believing that the climate of the Ohio 
Valley was admirably adapted to the production of grapes, 
had for some time been making experiments in that direc- 
tion; but he fell into the error of believing that only the 
foreign vines were worth cultivating, therefore, his experi- 
ments were unsuccessful. The foreign grape did not mature 
well, and the wine produced from it was not good. In 1828 
his friend Major John Adlum sent him some specimens of 
the Catawba grape, which he had procured from the garden 
of a German living near Washington City, and he began to 
experiment with it in his own vineyard. 

The Catawba grape, now so popular and well known 
throughout the country, was then a comparative stranger to 
our people, and was regarded even by many who were ac- 
quainted with it as unfit for vintage purposes. It was first 
discovered in a wild condition about 1801, near Asheville, 
Buncombe Co., North Carolina, near the source of the Ca- 



218 MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

tawba River. Gen. Davy, of Rocky Mount, on that river, af- 
terward Senator from North Carolina is supposed to have 
given the German in whose garden Major Adlum found the 
grape a few of the vines to experiment upon. Gen. Davy 
always regarded the bringing of this grape into notice as the 
greatest act of his life. ' ' I have done my country a greater 
benefit in introducing this grape into public notice," said he 
in after years, "than I would have done if I had paid the 
national debt." 

Mr. Longworth's experiments with the Catawba were 
highly successful, and induced him to abandon all his efforts 
with foreign vines, and undertake only the Catawba, to 
which he afterward added the Isabella. He now entered ex- 
clusively upon grape-growing. He established a large vine- 
yard upon a hill-side sloping down to the river, about four 
miles above the city, and employed German laborers, whose 
knowledge of vinedressing, acquired in the Fatherland, made 
them the best workmen he could have. He caused it to be 
announced that all the grape juice produced by the small 
growers in the vicinity would find a cash purchaser in him, 
no matter in what quantities offered. At the same time he 
offered a reward of five-hundred dollars for any improve- 
ment in the quality of the Catawba grape. The enthusiasm 
which he manifested, as well as the liberality of his offer, had 
a decidedly beneficial effect upon the small growers in that 
locality. "It proved a great stimulus to the growth of the 
Catawba vine in the country around Cincinnati," to know 
that a man of Mr. Longworth's means stood ready to pay 
cash, at the rate of a dollar and a quarter for all the grape 
juice that might be brought to him, without reference to the 
quantity. It was in this way, and by urgent popular ap- 
peals through the columns of the newspapers, that he suc- 
ceeded, after many failures, and against the depressing in- 
fluence of much doubt and indifference, in bringing the en- 
terprise up to its high position. 

When he took the matter in hand there was much to dis- 
courage any one not possessed of the traits of constancy of 
purpose and perseverance peculiar to Mr. Longworth. Many 
had tried the manufacture of wine, and had failed to give 
it any economical importance. It was not believed, until 
Mr. Longworth practically demonstrated it, that a native 
grape was the only one upon which any hope could be placed, 



MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 219 

and that the Catawba offered the most assured promise of 
success and was the one upon which all vine-growers might 
with confidence depend. It took years of constant attention 
and wide-spread investigations, the expenditures of large 
sums of money to establish this fact, and bring the agricul- 
tural community to accept it and act under its guidance. 
The success attained by Mr. Longworth soon induced other 
gentlemen residents in the vicinity of Cincinnati, and favora- 
bly situated for the purpose, to undertake the culture of the 
Catawba, and several of them are now regularly and exten- 
sively engaged in the manufacture of wine. The impetus 
and encouragement thus given to the business soon led the 
German citizens of Hamilton Co., to observe its advantages, 
and, under their thrifty management, thousands of acres, 
stretching up from the banks of the Ohio, are now covered 
with luxuriant and profitable vineyards, rivaling in profu- 
sion and beauty the vine-clad hills of Italy and Prance. The 
oldest vineyard in the county of Hamilton is of Mr. Long- 
worth's planting. 

Mr. Longworth subsequently increased the size of his 
vineyard to two hundred acres, and toward the close of his 
life, his wine houses annually produced one hundred and fifty 
thousand bottles of wine. His vaults usually contained a 
stock of three hundred thousand bottles in course of thor- 
ough ripening. 

His cellars were situated on the declivity of East Sixth 
St., on the road to Observatory Hill. They occupied a space, 
ninety feet by one hundred and twenty-five in size, and con- 
sisted of two tiers of massive stone vaults, the lower of 
which was twenty-five feet below the surface of the ground. 

The manufacture of the wine was placed under the charge 
of a celebrated chemist from Klieims, and the method of 
preparation was as follows : 

After the pressing of the grape, the juice is subjected to 
the vinous fermentation, by which ten or eleven ner cent, of 
alcohol is developed. In the following spring, it is mixed 
with a small quantity of sugar, and put into strong bottles, 
the corks of which are secured with twine and wire. The 
sugar accelerates a second fermentation, which always takes 
place about this time, and thus a strong movement is pro- 
duced inside the glass, which generates eras enough to burst 
the vessels briskly, adding thereby considerably to the cost. 



220 MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

This is known as the gaseous fermentation, and the effect of 
it is to render the wine more enlivening, more stinging to the 
taste, and more fruity. "This last effect results from this, 
that the flavor of the fruit mostly passes off with the car- 
bonic acid gas, which is largely generated in the first or 
vinous fermentation, and in a less degree in this second or 
gaseous fermentation. " It is impossible to avoid the loss of 
the flavor in the first fermentation, but the strong bottles 
and securely fastened corks preserve it in the second. The 
liquid, which is muddy at first, becomes clear in about a year, 
a thick sediment having collected in the bottom of the bottle. 
The bottles are then placed in racks, with their necks down- 
ward and are shaken vigorously every day for about three 
weeks. This forces the sediment to settle down in the neck 
against the cork. When it is all in the neck, the wires are 
cut, and the cork blown out by the gas, carrying the sediment 
with it. Fresh sugar, for sweetness, is now added, new eorks 
are driven in and secured, and in a few weeks the wine is 
ready for the market. 

Mr. Longworth continued his wine trade with great suc- 
cess for about twenty-five years, and though for some time 
his expenditures were largely in excess of his income from 
this source, he at length reaped a steady and increasing profit 
from it, which more than paid him for his former losses. He 
was very fond of the strawberry and succeeded, by careful 
and expensive cultivation, in making several very important 
improvements in that delicious fruit. He manifested no self- 
ishness with respect to his fruits. He was anxious that their 
cultivation should become general, and his discoveries and 
improvements were always at the service of any and every 
one who desired to make use of them. 

He was thoroughly devoted to his adopted home, and anx- 
ious to promote its steady improvement. When it was pro- 
posed to establish an observatory, the Mt. Adams property, 
then owned by him, was regarded as the most fitting site for 
it. He was asked to name the price for which he would sell 
the property. To the astonishment of the parties in charge 
of the enterprise, he made a free gift of the land,— four acres 
in extent — to the trustees. A gentleman who had hoped to 
dispose of some of his own property for this purpose charged 
Mr. Longworth, through the press, with being influenced by a 
desire to improve his adjoining property by the erection of 



MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 221 

the observatory on Mount Adams. Longworth promptly re- 
plied that if the writer of the article in question would do- 
nate four acres of his own property for an observatory, he 
(Longworth) would put up, at his own expense, a building 
on it equal to that which had been erected on Mt. Adams, 
and transfer the latter place to the city as a permanent 
pleasure ground. 

He quietly added that in this way his accuser might him- 
self receive, for his adjacent property, all the benefits of such 
an improvement and at the same time win for himself the 
lasting gratitude of the people of Cincinnati. This settled 
the matter, and no more was heard from the other side. 

Longworth,— says one who knew him, — was a problem 
and a riddle— a problem worthy of the study of those who de- 
light in exploring that labyrinth of all that is hidden and 
mysterious, the human heart, and a riddle to himself and 
others. He is a wit and humorist of a high order; of keen 
sagacity and shrewdness in many other respects than in 
money matters ; one who can be exact to a dollar, and liberal, 
when he chooses, with thousands ; of marked peculiarity and 
tenacity in his own opinion, yet of abundant tolerance to the 
opinions, however extravagant, of others — a man of great 
public spirit and sound general judgment. 

In addition to all this, it would be difficult to find an in- 
dividual of his position and standing so perfectly free from 
pride, in the ordinary sense. He has positively none, unless 
it be the pride of eccentricity. It is no uncommon circum- 
stance for men to become rich by the concentration of time, 
and labor, and attention to some one object of profitable em- 
ployment. This is the ordinary plan of money- getting, as 
choosing the ear and pocket to applications for aid is that of 
money saving. Longworth had become a rich man on a dif- 
ferent principle. He appears to have started upon the calcu- 
lation that if he could put any individual in the way of mak- 
ing a dollar for Longworth, and a dollar for himself at the 
same time, by aiding him with ground for a lot, or in build- 
ing him a house on it ; and if he could multiply cases of the 
kind by hundreds, or perhaps thousands, he would promote 
his own interests the same measure as he was advancing 
those of others. At the same time he would not be uncon- 
scious that, while their half was subdivided into small pos- 
sessions, owned by a thousand or more individuals, his half 



222 MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

was a vast, boundless aggregate, since it was the property 
of one man alone. The event has done justice to his sagac- 
ity. Hundreds, if not thousands, in and adjacent to Cin- 
cinnati now own houses and lots, and many have become 
wealthy, who would, in all probability, have lived and died 
tenants under a different state of case. Had not Mr. Long- 
worth adopted this course, he would have occupied that re- 
lation to society which many wealthy men now sustain, that 
of getting all they can and keeping all they get." 

In politics, Mr. Longworth was a Whig, and afterward a 
Republican. During the famous Clay campaign he was 
asked to give one hundred dollars to help defray the ex- 
penses of the party. 

"I never give something for nothing," said he. "We 
might fail to elect Clay, as we did before, and I should throw 
away the hundred dollars. ' ' 

The applicant, who was himself a man of wealth, assured 
him that there was no doubt of Clay's election. 

"There can be no chance of your losing," he said. 

"Well," replied Longworth, "I'll tell you what I will 
do. I will give you the hundred dollars, but mind, you shall 
be responsible to me for its return if Clay is not elected." 

The offer was accepted ; and when the campaign resulted 
in the defeat of Clay, Longworth demanded his money from 
the politician, who was obliged to return it out of his own 
pocket. In his own way, (and a quaint, singular way it 
was) Mr. Longworth was exceedingly charitable. Long 
after he was worth millions, and when every moment of his 
time was valuable, he was requested to serve as Township 
Trustee. This was an office which required a considerable 
portion of his time, and brought him in constant contact 
with some of the most wretched of the lowest class of the 
poor. He was always in his office, at stated times, and with 
a patience and kindness worthy of all admiration, the mil- 
lionaire listened to their sad tales, and provided such aid as 
was necessary, frequently giving it out of his own purse 
when the public fnnds failed. He was a bitter foe to tramps 
and mendicants. If people in need were willing to work, he 
would place them in the way of doin<? so. He was the own- 
er of a stone quarry on Deer Creek, the traces of which may- 
still be seen in the lines of the new Gilbert Avenue; and he 
kept in his office a supply of picks and shovels. When a 



MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 223 

stout beggar asked him for alms, he would inquire if he 
was willing to work. If answered in the affirmative, he 
would give him a pick and shovel, and start him for the 
quarry, where the wages were promptly paid out every 
night. Many availed themselves of the privilege, and 
worked for him faithfully; but others gave the quarry a 
"wide berth," (French leave) and sold the pick and shovel 
for money or liquor. It was his custom to buy large quan- 
tities of bread tickets from the bakers, and to distribute 
them to those whom he considered worthy, and he would 
also keep on hand large quantities of shoes, dry goods, etc., 
which he gave away in the same manner. 

Mr. Frank Pentland, who was once in his employ, re- 
lates the following incident. 

"One morning, just after Mr. Longworth had gone to 
his office, near the Third Street entrance, where he was ac- 
customed to receive applicants for charity, he was accosted 
by a man who asked assistance. In answer to a question 
as to his needs, he replied that his main want was a pair of 
shoes, and a glance at his feet showed that he spoke the 
truth. Mr. Longworth appeared "to take his measure " at 
a glance, and impulsively shaking his right foot (he seldom 
wore his shoes tied) kicked the shoe over to the applicant, 
saying : 

"Try that on, my man. How does it fit?" 

"Illigant, yer honor." 

"Well, try that, now," said he, kicking off the other. 
"How will they do?" 

"Illigant, yer honor; Illigant! May many a blessing—" 

"Well, well, go now— that will do," and turning to Pent- 
land, who was then a young boy in his service, ordered him 
to the house to get another pair. Frank obeyed, but was 
told by Mrs. Longworth that those he wore away from the 
house were all that he had. The result was that Frank was 
hurried off to William Hart's shoe store, for the kind I 
always buy, and don't pay over a dollar and a half for 
them." 

Yet many persons charged this man with stinginess — a 
charge to which every rich man lays himself open who does 
not give to all who ask him. Even the rich must refuse 
sometimes, for there is no reason why they should answer 
all the calls made upon them — a course which would soon 



224 MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

impoverish them. They must discriminate somewhere, and 
how this shall be done is a question which every one must 
decide for himself. Longworth exercised this discrimina- 
tion in an eccentric manner, eminently characteristic of him. 
He invariably refused cases that commended themselves to 
others. A gentleman once applied to him for assistance for 
a widow in destitute circumstances. 

"Who is she?" asked the millionaire. "Do you know 
her? Is she a deserving- object?" 

'She is not only a woman of excellent character," an- 
swered his friend, "but she is doing all in her power to sup- 
port a large family of children." 

"Very well, then," said Mr. Longworth. "I shan't give 
a cent. Such persons will always find a plenty to relieve 
them." i|| j i-f 

He was firm, and turned coldly from the entreaties of 
his friend. Yet he opened his purse liberally to those whom 
others refused. Vagrants, drunkards, fallen women, those 
who had gone down far into the depths of misery and 
wretchedness and from whom respectable people shrank in 
disgust, never appealed to him in vain. "The devil's poor" 
he always called them. He would listen to them patiently, 
moved to the depths of his soul by their sad stories, and 
would send them away rejoicing that they were not utterly 
friendless. "Decent paupers will always find a plenty to 
help them," he would say, "but no one cares for these poor 
wretches. Everybody damns them, and as no one else will 
help them, I must." Yet he aided them in such a manner 
as to encourage them to rise above their wretchedness. 

In his personal appearance Mr. Longworth was not pre- 
possessing. He was dry and caustic in his remarks, and 
rarely spared the object of his satire. He was plain and 
careless in his dress, looking more like a mendicant than a 
millionaire. He cared nothing for dress, except perhaps, 
that he preferred common clothes to fine ones. One of his 
acquaintances relates the following story in illustration of 
this phase of his character. 

"Many winters ago, it will be remembered that a style of 
striped goods was quite popular with poor people on account 
of its cheapness, and that it acquired the name of "Hard 
Times." Everybody with scant purses wore coats or pants 
of it, for the reason that they could not very well buy any 



MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 225 

other kind. As the story goes, it appears that ' ' Old Nick, ' ' 
as he was familiarly called bought an overcoat of this ma- 
terial, and took great pride in wearing it, much to the an- 
noyance of the women folks. It happened that one cold, 
stormy night the faithful family coachman was at the house 
without an overcoat, and Mrs. Longworth, after very feel- 
ingly informing her husband of his forlorn condition, asked 
the privilege of giving him the aforesaid overcoat. Much 
to her gratification, Mr. Longworth consented, and the 
coachman wore off the "Hard Times," the good wife replac- 
ing it by an elegant broadcloth that she had quietly pro- 
vided for the occasion. The next morning "Old Nick" very 
innocently overlooked the new coat, and went off to make 
his usual morning rounds without one; but it would be im- 
possible to describe the annoyance of the household when 
they saw him returning to dinner wearing a duplicate of 
"These Hard Times," and for weeks afterward it was no 
uncommon occurrence to see the "master and man" walking 
about the old homestead dressed in their usual gray stripes. 
The shabbiness of his dress once led to an amusing adven- 
ture, which he enjoyed very much. Climbing one of the 
hilly streets of the city one broiling summer day, he sat down 
on a pile of bricks, under the cool shade of a tree, to rest. 
Taking off his well-worn hat, he laid it on his knee, and 
closing his eyes, sat enjoying the breeze which had just then 
sprung up. He was very tired, and his whole figure indi- 
cated his weariness. As he sat there in his shabby dress, 
with his eyes closed and his hat resting on his knees, he 
looked the very picture of a blind beggar soliciting charity. 
For such, indeed, he was mistaken by a working man who 
passed by a few minutes later, and who, pitying the supposed 
unfortunate, chucked a few pennies into his hat. The noise 
of the coppers made the old man open his eyes and look up ; 
and to his amazement the workman recognized in the object 
of his charity Nicholas Longworth, the millionaire. Mr. 
Longworth looked at him a moment in his dry, quizzical way, 
and then, thanking him politely, put the pennies in his 
pocket, and, closing his eyes, once more resumed his resting 
position. 

The subject of our sketch and outline of the Nicholas 
Longworth was the grandfather of the Hon. Nicholas Long- 
worth, member of Conerress of Cincinnati, Ohio. He mar- 



\fi- 



226 MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

ried Alice Lee Roosevelt of New York, at Washington, D. 

C, February 7th, 1906. 

Mr. Longworth had erected a magnificent mansion in the 
midst of his vineyard. He gathered there a fine library, and 
a collection of paintings, statuary, and other art treasures, 
which were his pride. He died there on the 10th of Febru- 
ary, 1863, at the advanced age of eighty-one years. 

His loss was severely felt by the entire community, es- 
pecially by his "destitute poor," for whom he had cared so 
long and tenderly. 

Colonel IngersolVs Funeral Oration at His Brother s Grave. 

The funeral of Hon. Ebon C. Ingersoll, brother of Col. 
R. G. Ingersoll, took place at his residence in Washington, 

D. C, June 2d, 1879. The ceremonies were extremely sim- 
ple, consisting merely of viewing the remains by relatives 
and friends, and a funeral oration by Col. Ingersoll. 

A large number of prominent gentlemen were present. 
Soon after Mr. Ingersoll began to read his eloquent tribute 
to the dead, his eyes filled with tears. He tried to conceal 
them behind his eye-glasses, but he could not do it, and 
finally he bowed his head upon the dead man's coffin in 
uncontrollable grief. It was after some delay and the great- 
est efforts at self-mastery, that Col. Ingersoll was able to 
finish reading his address, which was as follows : 

My Friends : I am going to do that which the dead often 
promised he would do for me. The love and loving brother, 
husband, father, friend, died where manhood's morning al- 
most touches noon, and while the shadows still were falling 
towards the West. He had not passed on life's highway 
the stone that marks the highest point, but being weary for 
a moment he fetid down by the wayside, and, using his bur- 
den for a pillow, fell into that dreamless sleep that kisses 
down his eyelids still. While yet in love with life and rap- 
tured with the world, he passed to silence and pathetic 
dust. Yet, after all, it may be best, just in the happiest, 
sunniest hour of all the voyage, while eager minds are kiss- 
ing every sail, to dash against the unseen rock, and in an in- 
stant hear the billows roar a sunken ship. For, whether in 
mid-sea or among the breakers of the farther shore, a wreck 
must mark at last the end of each and all. And every life, 



MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 227 

no matter if its every hour is rich with love and every mo- 
ment jewelled with a joy, will, at its close, become a tragedy, 
as sad, and deep, and dark as can be woven of the warp and 
woof of mystery and death. This brave and tender man in 
every storm of life was oak and rock, but in the sunshine 
he was vine and flower. He was the friend of all heroic 
souls. He climbed the heights and left all superstitions far 
below, while on his forehead fell the golden dawning of a 
grander day. He loved the beautiful, and was with color, 
form and music touched to tears. He sided with the weak 
and with a willing hand gave alms; with loyal heart and 
with the purest hand he faithfully discharged all public 
trusts. He was a worshipper of liberty and a friend of the 
oppressed. A thousand times I have heard him quote the 
words : 

"For justice all place a temple and all season summer." 
He believed that happiness was the only good, reason 
the only torch, justice the only worshipper, humanity the 
only religion, and love the priest. 

He added to the sum of human joy, and were every one 
for whom he did some: loving service to bring a blossom to 
his grave he would sleep tonight beneath a wilderness of 
flowers. Life is a narrow vale between the cold and barren 
peaks of two eternities. "We strive in vain to look beyond 
the heights. We cry aloud, and the only answer is the 
echo of our wailing cry. From the voiceless lips of the un- 
replying dead there comes no word, but in the night of 
death hope sees a star and listening love can hear the rus- 
tle of a wing. He who sleeps here, when dying, mistaking 
the approach of death for the return of health, whispered 
with his latest breath, "I am better now." Let us believe, 
in spite of doubts and dogmas and tears and fears that these 
dear words are true of all the countless dead. And now, 
to you who have been chosen from among the many men he 
loved to do the last sad office for the dead, we give his sa- 
cred dust. Speech cannot contain our love. There was, 
there is, no gentler, stronger, manlier man. 



228 MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

Colonel IngersoWs Remarkable Vision — One of the Most 

Elegant Extracts of Eloquence in the English 

Language. 

The past, as it were, rises before me like a dream. 
Again we are in the great struggle for national life. We 
hear the sound of preparation— the music of the boisterous 
drums — the silver voices of heroic bugles. We see thous- 
ands of assemblages, and hear the appeals of orators; we 
see the pale cheeks of women, and the flushed faces of men ; 
and in those assemblages we see all the dead whose dust we 
have covered with flowers. We lose sight of them no more. 
We are with them when they enlist in the great army of 
freedom. We see them part with those they love. Some 
are walking for the last time in quiet woody places with 
the maidens they adore. We hear the whisperings and the 
sweet vows of eternal love as they lingeringly part forever. 
Others are bending over cradles kissing babes that are 
asleep. Some are receiving the blessings of old men. Some 
are parting with mothers who hold them and press them to 
their hearts again and again, and say nothing ; and some are 
talking with wives, and endeavoring with brave words 
spoken in the old tones to drive away the awful fear. We 
see them part. We see the wife standing in the door with 
the babe in her arms— standing in the sunlight sobbing — ■ 
at the turn of the road a hand waves — she answers by hold- 
ing high in her loving hands the child. He is gone, and for- 
ever. We see them all as they march proudly away under 
the flaunting flags, keeping time to the wild grand music of 
war— marching down the streets of the great cities— through 
the towns and across the prairies — down to the fields of 
glory, to do and to die for the eternal right. We go with 
them one and all. We are by their side on all the gory 
fields, in all the hospitals of pain— on all the weary marches. 

We are on picket with them in the wild storm, at the 
cross-roads, in the dense forests, and under the quiet stars. 
We are with them in ravines running with blood, in the fur- 
rows of old fields. We are with them between contending 
hosts, unable to move, wild with thirst, the life ebbing slowly 
away among the withered leaves. We see them pierced by 
balls and torn with shells in the trenches of forts, and in 
the whirlwind of the charge, where men become iron with 



MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 229 

nerves of steel. We are with them in the prisons of hatred 
and famine, but human speech can never tell what they en- 
dured. We are at home when the news comes that they are 
dead. We see the maiden in the shadow of her sorrow. 
We see the silvered head of the old man bowed with the last 
grief. The past rises before us, and we see four millions of 
humans beings governed by the lash — we see them bound 
hand and foot — we hear the strokes of cruel whips— we see 
the hounds tracking women through tangled swamps. We 
see babes sold from the breasts of mothers. Cruelty un- 
speakable ! Outrage infinite ! 

Four million bodies in chains— four million souls in fet- 
ters. All the sacred relations of wife, mother, father and 
child, trampled beneath the brutal feet of might. And all 
this was done under our own beautiful banner of the free. 

The past rises before me. We hear the roar and shriek 
of the bursting shell. The broken fetters fali. The heroes 
died. We look. Instead of slaves we see men and women 
and children. The wand of progress touches the auction- 
block, the slave-pen, and the whipping-post, and we see 
homes and firesides, and school-houses and books, and where 
all was want and crime, and cruelty and fear, we see the 
faces of the free. 

These heroes are dead. They died for liberty — they died 
for us. They are at rest. They sleep in the land they made 
free, under the flag they rendered stainless, under the solemn 
pines, the sad hemlocks, the tearful willows, the embracing 
vines. They sleep beneath the shadows of the clouds, care- 
less alike of sunshine or storm, each in the windowless pal- 
ace of rest. Earth may run red with other wars, they are 
at peace. In the midst of battle, in the roar of conflict, 
they found the serenity of death. I have one sentiment for 
the soldiers living and dead — cheers for the living and tears 
for the dead. 

Pennsylvania. 

A North Atlantic State of the United States, situated at 
the apex of the arch formed by the coast States from North 
Carolina to New England, and is generally known, and 
popularly called the Keystone State. It is bounded on the 
north by New York State, and for about fifty miles on the 
west by Lake Erie, on the East by New York and New 



2 3 o MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

Jersey, on the South by a small part of Delaware and by 
Maryland and West Virginia, and on the West by West 
Virginia and Ohio. The North and South boundaries are 
straight lines running along parallels, 157% miles apart, ex- 
cept for the small projection in the Northwestern corner, 
purchased of New York, for the trie City Lake port and 
harbor. 

The western boundary is a straight line running along 
the meridian, but the eastern boundary is formed by the 
Delaware River, which forms two large and crooked bends, 
making the extreme length of the State, 302 miles. The area 
is 45,126 square miles, of which 44,832 square miles, or 28,- 
692,480 acres are land surface. The State ranks twenty- 
ninth in size among the United States. 

Climate. — The climate in the southeastern part along the 
Delaware is much warmer, both in summer and winter, than 
in the western upland. The mean temperature for January 
at Philadelphia is 32.3 degrees and for July 76.2 degrees. 
The corresponding figures for Wilkesbarre, among the moun- 
tains, are 27 and 72 degrees; for Pittsburg, 31 and 75 de- 
grees ; and for Erie, on the Lake shore, 27 and 70 degrees. 

The summer heat south of the Blue mountains has been 
as high as 107 degrees, and is continued far into autumn. 
Northwest of the mountains the snow sometimes lies several 
feet deep throughout the winter, and the temperature may 
fall to 28 degrees below zero. The average annual rainfall 
for the state is 44.6 inches. It is evenly distributed both as 
to season and through the larger regions of the state, though 
it may range from thirty-five to fifty inches in isolated local- 
ities. 

Soil and Vegetation. — The soils are on the whole some- 
what more fertile than those of the average Atlantic states, 
there being no tertiary sand area, and comparatively small 
areas of primary rocks. The soil is to a large extent decom- 
posed limestone material, which is a good grain soil, and, 
where least fertile, is well suited for pasturage. Pennsyl- 
vania was formerly one of the most densely forested states, 
and there are still considerable forest areas on the western 
plateau. The most familiar (or native) trees on the low- 
lands are white oak, hickory, chestnut, walnut, butternut, 
and cherry; on the higher ground are the white pine, hem- 
lock, pitch pine, maple, beach, and black and yellow bir&h, 



MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 231 

and on the mountains, the black and red spruce, balsam fir, 
and larch can be seen. On the western plateau the forests 
are mostly deciduous, with chestnut and oak abundant; and 
in the southwest the common trees are the honey locust and 
sugar maple. 

The following figures show the wonderful growth of the 
State in population: 1790, 434,373; 1820, 1,047,507; 1850, 
2,311,786; 1860, 2,906,215; 1870, 3,521,951; 1880, 4,282,891; 
1890, 5,258,014; 1900, 6,302,115; 1906, (State estimate) 
6,928,515. The State (for many years) ranked second in 
population. The absolute increase in each decade has been 
greater than that of the preceding. The per cent, of the 
increase between 1890 and 1900 was 19.9, as compared with 
20.7 for the United States. The Irish, Germans, and En- 
glish are the most numerous ; but there are, besides, a larger 
number of Welsh and natives of Hungary than in any other 
state. In 1900 the negroes numbered 156,845. Of the total 
population (1900) 51 per cent, was urban — i.e. they live in 
places which contain over 4000 inhabitants, there being in 
1900, 119 such places, or more than in any other state. The 
average number of inhabitants to the square mile in 1900 
was 140.1. 

Religion.— The Roman Catholics form over one-eighth of 
the population. The leading Protestant denominations are 
the Methodist, Presbyterian, and Lutheran, each with over 
one-sixth of the total number of church members. Then fol- 
low in order the Baptists, the Protestant Episcopalians, the 
Disciples of Christ, and the Congregationalists. 

Education.— The public school system is under the super- 
vision of a State Superintendent, appointed by the Governor. 
School attendance is compulsory between the ages of eight 
and sixteen, and text books are free, but not uniform 
throughout the State. 

The principal institutions of higher education, besides 
the University of Pennsylvania, are the Western University 
of Pennsylvania (undenominational) at Allegheny City; La- 
fayette College (Presbyterian), at Easton; Lehigh Universi- 
ty (non-sectarian), at South Bethlehem; Bucknell Univer- 
sity (Baptist), Lewisburg; Dickinson College (Methodist 
Episcopal), at Carlisle; Haverford College (Friends), at Ha- 
verford; Swarthmore College (Friends), at Swarthmore; 
Pennsylvania State College, at State College; Washington 



232 MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

and Jefferson College (Presbyterian), at Washington; Penna. 
College, Gettysburg. For normal education the State con- 
tains and maintains the following standard Normal schools, 
namely : Lyconing County Normal school, at Muncy, Penna. ; 
Western Normal school at Clarion, Penna. ; Central Normal 
school at Lock Plaven, Penna. ; Northern Penna. Normal 
school at Mansfield, Pa., and Penna,. State Normal at Millers- 
ville, Lancaster Co., Penna. Dickinson University at Wil- 
liamsport, is also a nourishing institution of learning. 

The State is naturally adapted for the cultivation of 
nearly all kinds of fruit, and grape culture. Wild plums, 
tame plums, quinces, peaches, pears, chestnuts, and apples, 
grow in abundance in all localities throughout the State. 
The Pennsylvania ladies have been highly praised for being 
excellent cooks. All meals and refreshments served on the 
farms, at restaurants, and hotels, are all hashed up in ele- 
gant taste and style. Everything is spread upon the tables 
and both ladies and gentlemen are kindly requested to help 
themselves to everything to which they take a fancy. In 
the fall of the year they make a very fine quality of apple- 
butter, and cider, for future use in the winter. And their 
buckwheat cakes and honey during the winter, have a State- 
wide palatable and eatable, reputation. To the rising gener- 
ation of Illinois, and all who were born and raised there, we 
should say be sure to visit Pennsylvania during your life- 
time, and view the beautiful Lakes, rivers, hills, and moun- 
tains. But keep a close watch, and look out for copperhead 
and rattle snakes, as neither of that species scare worth a 
cent. Since 1860 the State has been strongly Republican in 
national affairs, but on account of factional fights in the 
Republican ranks, a Democratic Governor has been twice 
elected. 



CHAPTER XXIX. 



Biography of " War Governors''' — A. G. Curtin—J. A. Andrew 
— O. P. Morton — R. Yates — L. Stanford. 

Andrew Gregg Curtin, born in 1817, died 1894. An 
American politician, famous as the "War Governor" of 
Pennsylvania. He was born in Bellefonte, Penna. ; studied 
law in Dickinson College, at Carlisle, Penna. ; was admitted 
to the bar in 1839, and soon became prominent, as a Repub- 
lican, in State politics. He was appointed Secretary of State 
for Pennsylvania in 1854, and from 1860 to 1866 served two 
terms as Governor of the State. From 1869 to 1872 he was 
Minister to Russia, and after his return joined the Demo- 
cratic party and was elected to Congress from 1881 to 1887. 
During the Civil War he was always prompt in his response 
to President Lincoln's calls for troops, and by his minute 
care for the persons and families of the Pennsylvania sol- 
diers, won their esteem and became widely known as "the 
soldier's friend." 

Mme. Patti wrote in a friend's album at Boston: "Go to 
strangers for charity, acquaintances for advice, and to rela- 
tives for nothing, and you will always have a supply." 

The sweet singer is probably posted by experience. 

John A. Andrew, (1818-67). A prominent American 
statesman "War Governor," oif Massachusetts. He was 
born at Windham, Maine; graduated at Bowdoin in 1837, 
was admitted to the Boston bar in 1840, practiced there 
twenty years, and took a prominent part in the cases which 
arose under the Fugitive Slave Law. In 1858 he was a 
member of the Legislature, and in 1860 was a delegate to 



234 MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

the Republican National Convention, and was himself de- 
feated Governor of Massachusetts by the largest popular 
majority ever given to a candidate. He forecast the dan- 
ger of Civil War and took active steps to perfect the or- 
ganization of the militia of his State. Within a week after 
the first call for troops he sent forward five infantry regi- 
ments, a battalion of riflemen, and a battery of artillery. 
In 1861, and each year until he insisted on retiring in 1866, 
he was reelected Governor, and was conceded to be one of 
the most efficient of all the "War Governors" continually 
organizing militia companies, and lending aid in every pos- 
sible way to the Federal cause. He was at the conference of 
loyal Governors at Altoona, Penna. ; in Sept. 1862, and wrote 
the address presented by them to President Lincoln. In re- 
ligion he was Unitarian, and presided at their first national 
convention in 1865. At the close of the war, he resumed 
the practice of law at Boston. 

Oliver Perry Morton (1823-1877). An American politi- 
cal leader and stateman, more popularly known as the great 
War Governor of Indiana, He was born at Salisbury, 
Wayne County, Indiana, August 4th, 1823, spent two years 
at Miami University, studied law, and in 1847 was admitted 
to practice. In 1860 he was elected Lieutenant Governor, 
and, after the Governor's election as U. S. Senator, Mr. 
Morton became Governor, Jan. 16, 1861. Upon the outbreak 
of the Civil War he manifested great energy, and was high- 
ly successful in the work of raising troops. The election of 
1862, however, resulted in the choice of a Democratic Legis- 
lature and Democratic state officers, who bitterly opposed 
the war, and also opposed the Governor's patriotic policy in 
favor of the Union cause. His task was still further ob- 
structed by the presence in the State of a large bogus — 
secret society called the Knights of the Golden Circle, which 
resisted the draft, encouraged desertion, discouraged enlist- 
ments, and even plotted the carrying of Indiana out of the 
Union. But Morton finally triumphed over all obstacles. 
He secured the triumph of his party and his own re-election 
as Governor in 1864. In the opinion of Secretaries Chase and 
Stanton, his services during this period were greater than 
those rendered by any other of the great "War Governors. 

Richard Yates, Republican, of Morgan Co., Illinois; 
twelfth Governor elected, Jan. 14th, 1861, to Jan. 16, 1865, 



MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 235 

was born Jan. 18th, 1818, at Warsaw, Gallatin Co., Ken- 
tucky. In 1831, his father emigrated to Illinois, remaining 
for a short time at Springfield, and then settled at Island 
Grove, Sangamon county. He graduated from Illinois Col- 
lege, at Jacksonville, in 1837 with first honors. He chose 
the law as a profession and soon came to the front rank. 
He was an ardent admirer of Henry Clay, and, of course, 
a true-blue whig. He was elected to the Legislature in 
1842 from Morgan county. He served several terms, and in 
1850 was unanimously chosen as the Whig candidate for 
Congress in a district which extended from Sangamon on 
the South to La Salle on the North, and was elected. He 
was re-elected, and took firm grounds against slavery in any 
form. He was elected Governor in 1860, and discharged his 
duties during the war in such a patriotic manner, and with 
such unswerving activity and loyalty to the Union cause, as 
to render him a very popular man with the entire rank and 
file of the people. In 1865 he was elected U. S. Senator, and 
was subsequently succeeded by Gen. J. A. Logan in 1871. 
Through his kind attention to the troops at the front, he 
acquired, and highly deserved the title of "the soldier's 
friend." He died in St. Louis, Nov. 27, 1873, on his way 
home from the South. 

Wit and Humor, Anecdotes and Amusements. 

My Uncle (the late John B. Adlum, of French Grove, 
Illinois), told us years ago, the following story concerning 
the late Signor Blitz, — the celebrated ventriloquist — who 
toured the United States and gave sleight-of-hand perform- 
ances, many years ago. My Uncle said Prof. Blitz and party 
were on board a vessel coming to the United States to pro- 
vide entertainment again for the American people. The pas- 
sengers soon discovered that Signor Blitz was on board, and 
decided to have a little fun and amusement for pastime on 
their way over the sea. Blitz told the passengers they must 
hunt up some obect upon whom to operate. They soon ob- 
served a smart looking gentleman, who seemed to be much 
absorbed in reading the news of the day very leisurely. Blitz 
approached the stranger, and requested him to give him his 
hat a few moments. The stranger consented. Blitz exani- 
amined the hat a short time, and told the stranger that he 



236 MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

was happy to observe that he was a man of wonderful for- 
sight, and very provident to supply himself with the re- 
quired necessaries of life. I see you are Yevy fond of 
chickens. He then proceeded to pick from the gentleman's 
hat piece by piece, a finely cooked chicken. Finally there 
was a sudden change of program. Confound the wasp said 
Blitz, which seemed to be buzzing and humming around his 
head. It appears the stranger was himself a ventriloquist, 
and transferred the joke very sudden upon Signor Blitz. It 
was reported that the crew of the vessel were highly enter- 
tained, before they reached the American coast. 

Casper Lauchle, A Pennsylvania Swiss Gentleman. 

Mr. Lauchle (pronounced Likely) related to my father 
an account of his voyage from Paris, France, to> the United 
States many years ago. Mr. Lauchle said a, terrific storm 
prevailed on the ocean, and most of the passengers were or- 
dered to retire by the Captain to the hull for safety. Cas- 
per told the Captain that he intended to remain on deck, and 
take his own chances on his life. He said if he was to be 
drowned he was going to see for himself how it happened. 
Very well said the commander of the vessel, run your own 
risk. There said the Captain (pointing to a strong rope at- 
tached to the mainmast) grab that rope and look out for 
yourself. Casper said the big vessel rocked and reeled, 
turning on one side then to the other, and frequently he was 
swept clean off the deck, over the dashing waves, and over 
the deck again, the Captain enjoying a hearty laugh at his 
wonderful grit and pluck. Mr. Lauchle owned a fine farm 
near Pennsdale, Penna. He had one son (Casper) and four 
beautiful daughters, Annetta and Charlotte. He died at 
Pennsdale, Penn. 



CHAPTER XXX. 



Practice Makes Perfect — Benefits of 
Reading. 

1st. We are born with faculties and powers capable al- 
most of anything; such, at least, as would carry us farther 
than can be easily imagined, but it is only the exercise of 
those powers, which gives us ability and skill in anything, 
and leads us toward perfection. 

2d. The feet of a dancing-master, and the fingers of a 
musician, fall, as it were naturally, without thought or pains, 
into regular and admirable motions. Bid them change their 
parts, and they will in vain endeavor to produce like motions 
in the members not used to them, and it will require length 
of time and long practice to attain but some degree of a like 
ability. 

3. What incredible and astonishing action do we find 
rope-dancers and tumblers bring thereto? Not but that 
some, in almost all manual arts, are as wonderful, but I name 
those which the world takes notice of for such, because, on 
that very account, they pay money to see them. All these 
admired motions, beyond the reach and almost the conception 
of unpracticed spectators, are nothing but the mere effects 
of use and industry in men, whose bodies have nothing 
peculiar in them from the amazed lookers-on. 

4th. As it is in the body, so it is in the mind; practice 
makes it what it is ; and most all of those excellences which 
are looked on as natural endowments, will be found, when 
examined into more narrowly, to be the product of exercise, 
and to be raised to that pitch only by repeated actions. Some 



238 MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

men are noted for pleasantries in raillery, others for apolo- 
gies and opposite diverting stories. This may be taken for 
the effect of pure nature, and that the rather, because it is 
not acquired by rules, and those who excell in either of them, 
never purposely set themeslves to the study of it, as an art 
to be learned. 

5th., But yet it is true, that at first some lucky hit which 
took with somebody, and gained him commendation, encour- 
aged him to try again, inclined his thought and endeavors 
that way, till at last he insensibly got a facility in it with- 
out perceiving how; and that is attributed wholly to nature, 
which was much more the effect of use and practice. 

6th. I do not deny that natural disposition may often 
give the first rise to it, but that never carries a man far 
without use and exercise, and it is practice alone that brings 
the powers of the mind as well as those of the body to per- 
fection. 

Many a good poetic vain is buried under a trade, and 
never produces anything for want of improvement. 

7th. To what purpose all this, but to show that the dif- 
ference so observable in men's understandings and parts, 
does not arise so much from the natural faculties as acquired 
habits? He would be laughed at that should go about to 
make a fine dancer out of a country hedger, at past fifty. 
And he will not have much better success who shall endeavor 
at that age to make a man reason well, or speak handsomely, 
who has never been used to it, though you should lay before 
him a collection of all the best precepts of eloquence or 
logic. i 

8th. Nobody is made anything by hearing rules, or lay- 
ing them up in his memory ; practice must settle the habit of 
doing without reflection on the rule; and you may as well 
hope to make a good painter or musician, extempore, by a 
lecture and instruction in the arts of music and painting, 
as a coherent thinker, or strict reasoner, by a set of rules, 
showing him wherein right reasoning consists. 

Benefits of Reading. 

1st. Reading may be considered as the key which com- 
mands our entrance, and gives us access to the various de- 
partments of science and literature. It enlarges the sphere 



MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 239 

of observation, and affords abundant materials for exer- 
cising the faculties of the mind. Among all people distin- 
guished for their refinement and civilization, the most prev- 
alent and important art is that of reading. The improve- 
ment of the mind, the cultivation of taste, and the acquisi- 
tion of knowledge, are the advantages derived from this art. 

2d. From reading we are made acquainted with the 
passing events and occurrences in various parts of the world, 
and are enabled to repeat the sentiments of those who have 
existed in former times. It brings to view the scenes of 
departed years, and exhibits the rise and fall, and the revo- 
lutions of the ancient communities of mankind ; and offers to 
our reflections all the most important circumstances con- 
nected with the improvement of human society. 

3d. To have good books, and to be able to read them 
well, is a great privilege. They make us both wiser and 
better; they instruct us in our duty, and teach us how to 
behave ourselves. They comfort us in our distresses and 
afflictions. They pass away our leisure hours pleasantly 
and usefully, and the amusement which they afford, is 
cheaper than almost any other. They are true friends, ex- 
cellent counselors and agreeable companions. 

4th. Be careful to read with attention. When you are 
reading, do not be thinking of anything else. People who 
read without thinking what they are reading about, lose 
their time, and they cannot be the wiser, or the better for 
what they read. Reflect upon what you have read, or heard 
other people read, and if you have a proper opportunity, 
converse upon it. To relate what you have read, or heard, 
is the best way to help you to remember it. 

5th. It may afford many useful and pleasant subjects 
of conversation; and it may often prevent quarreling, tell- 
ing idle tales, silly joking, and talking scandal. In order 
to remember any particular passage in a book, read them 
over several times. If it instructed you in any particular 
duty, consider whether you have done your best to practice 
it. 

6th. A little in this way is more improving than many 
volumes, however excellent in themselves, read over in a 
hasty, careless manner. Let nothing tempt you to read a 
bad book of any kind. Probably it would be better not to 



240 MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

read at all, than to read bad books. A bad book is the worst 
of thieves ; it robs us of time, money, and principles. 

Why People Get Sick.— Eating too much and too fast, 
swallowing imperfectly masticated food; drinking too much 
fluid at meals ; drinking poisonous whiskey, alcohol, and oth- 
er intoxicating drinks ; repeatedly using poison as medicines ; 
keeping late hours at night, and sleeping late in the morn- 
ing; wearing corsets and clothing too tight, wearing thin 
shoes, and loafing on the streets without overshoes; neglect- 
ing a frequent bath, sufficiently to keep the pores open ; ex- 
changing the warm clothes worn in a warm room during the 
day for other light clothing to be worn at dances, and even- 
ing parties; compressing the stomach and chest, to gratify 
a vain and foolish passion for dress, keeping up constant ex- 
citement; fretting and crowding the mind with borrowed 
troubles; swallowing quack nostrums for every imaginary 
ill; taking meals at irregular intervals, and lunching and 
munching during the entire day. 

Cure of Small Pox. 1st.— The following remedy for this 
dread disease is very simple, and on the authority of a sur- 
geon of the British Army in China, it is said to be a thor- 
ough cure, even in extreme cases : When the preceding fever 
is at its height, and just before the eruption, the chest is 
rubbed with croton oil and tartaric ointment. This causes 
the whole eruption to appear on that part of the body, to 
the relief of the rest. It also secures a full and complete 
eruption, and this prevents the disease from attacking the 
internal organs. 

2d.— The following remedy will cure not only small pox, 
but also scarlet fever. It is harmless when taken by a per- 
son in health: Sulphate of zinc, one grain; foxglove (digi- 
talis) , one grain ; half a teaspoonf ul of sugar ; mix with two 
tablespoonfuls of water. When thoroughly mixed add four 
ounces of water. Take a spoonful every hour. Either dis- 
ease will disappear in twelve hours. For a child, smaller 
doses, according to age. 

3d. — "I am willing to risk my reputation as a public 
man," wrote Edward Hine to the Liverpool Mercury," if 
the worst case of small pox cannot be cured in three days, 
simply by the use of cream of tartar. One ounce of cream of 
tartar, dissolved in a pint of water, drank at intervals when 
cold, is a certain never failing remedy. It has cured thous- 



MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 241 

ands, never leaves a mark, never causes blindness, and pre- 
vents tedious lingering.' ' 

Cholera Infantum.— For cholera infantum, the whites of 
two eggs, well beaten, then mix with water; add one tea- 
spoonful orange flower water and a little sugar; a table- 
spoonful every hour. It will, says an authority, cure the 
worst ease of cholera infantum, the egg coating the bowels. 

The Evils of War. — Henry Clay. 

"War, pestilence and famine, by the common consent of 
mankind, are the three greatest calamities which can befall 
our species; and war as the most cruel and direful, justly 
stands foremost and in front. Pestilence and famine, no 
doubt for wise although inscrutable purposes, are inflictions 
of Providence, to which it is our duty, therefore, to bow 
with obedience, humble submission, and resignation. Their 
duration is not long, and their ravages are limited. They 
bring, indeed, great affliction, while they last, but society 
soon recovers from their effects. 

"War is the voluntary work of our own hands, and what- 
ever reproaches it may deserve, should be directed to our- 
selves. "When it breaks out, its duration is indefinite and 
unknown,— its vicissitudes are hidden from our view. In 
the sacrifice of human life, and in the waste of human treas- 
ure, — in its losses and in its burdens,— it affects both bellig- 
erent nations, and its sad effects of mangled bodies, of death, 
and of desolation, endure long after its thunders are hushed 
in peace. 

"War unhinges society, disturbs its peaceful and regular 
industry, and scatters poisonous seeds of disease and immor- 
ality, which continue to germinate and diffuse their baneful 
influence long after it has ceased. Dazzling by its glitter, 
pomp, and pageantry, it begets a spirit of wild adventure 
and romantic enterprise, and often disqualifies those who 
embark in it, after their return from the bloody fields of 
battle, for engaging in the industrious and peaceful voca- 
tions of life. 

History tells the mournful tale of conquering nations and 
conquerors. The five most celebrated conquerors, in the civ- 
ilized world, were "Washington, Grant, Alexander, Ceasar 
and Napoleon. The third, after ruining a large portion of 



242 MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

Asia, and sighing and lamenting that there were no more 
worlds to subdue, met a premature and ignoble death. His 
Lieutenants quarreled and warred with each other as to the 
spoils of his victories, and finally lost them all. 

Caesar, after conquering Gaul, returned with his trium- 
phant legions to Rome, passed the Rubicon, won the battle 
of Pharsalia, trampled upon the liberties of his country, and 
expired by the patriot hand of Brutus. But Rome ceased to 
be free. War and conquest had enervated and corrupted 
the masses. The spirit of true liberty was extinguished, and 
a long line of emperors succeeded, some of whom were the 
most detestable monsters that ever existed in human form. 

And Napoleon, that most extraordinary man, perhaps in 
all history, after subjugating all continental Europe, occupy- 
ing almost all its capitals, — seriously threatening proud Old 
England itself — and decking the brows of various members 
of his family with crowns torn from the heads of other mon- 
arehs, lived to behold his own dear France itself in possession 
of his enemies, was made himself a wretched captive, and 
far removed from country, family and friends, breathed his 
last on the distant and inhospitable rock of St. Helena. 

The Alps and the Rhine had been claimed, as the natural 
boundaries of France, but even these could not be secured 
in the treaties, to which she was reduced to submit. Do you 
believe that the people of Macedon or Greece, of Rome, or of 
France, were benefited, individuallv or collectively, by the 
triumphs of their Captains? Their sad lot was immense 
sacrifice of life, heavy and intolerable burdens, and the ulti- 
mate loss of liberty itself. 

Good Advice to Lawyers. 

Some very wholesome counsel was given to young lawyers 
by Cortland Parker, of Newark, New Jersey, who is looked 
up to as the most eminent lawyer in that State, on the occa- 
sion of a memorial banquet recently given in his honor. 
He took his^h, conservative ground as to what constitutes 
success, and said in part : 

"To my young: friends a word of udvice : Stick to the pro- 
fession, seek to elevate it. Do not seek by it to make money. 
Doing that makes it a trade — not a profession. Be fair in 
charges. Help the poor, with advice and with professional 



MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 243 

aid. Do not speculate. Be known in Christian work and in 
charity, public and private, according to your means. Study 
law and history in all spare time, and manifest it by your 
action in the courts. Do not be a politician. But always 
vote and do the duty of a citizen. Be a member of a party, 
but independent — a slave to no one. Deserve honors and of- 
fice. If they come, as if you deserve them they should, do 
honor for them. If they do not, never mind. There is One 
who seeth not as man seeth, whose 'well done good and 
faithful ' is worth all the dignities of all the world. ' ' 

Man's Allotted Age . 

Professor Faraday believed in Flourin's physiological 
theory that the age of man is one hundred years. The dura- 
tion of life, he says is to be measured by the time of growth. 
When once the bones and epiphyses (Anatomy) the end (or 
superficial part of a bone which ossifies separately from the 
central portion) united the body grows no more, and it is at 
twenty years this union is effected in man. 

In the camel it takes place at eight, in the horse at five, 
in the lion at four, in the dog at two, in the rabbit at one. 
The natural termination of life is five times that of the de- 
velopment period. Man being twenty years in growing, lives 
five times twenty years, that is to say, one hundred years; 
the camel is eight years in growing, and lives forty years; 
the horse is five years in growing, and lives twenty-five 
years ; and so on with other animals. 

The man who does not die of disease lives from eighty to 
a hundred years. Providence has given man a century of 
life, but he does not attain it because he inherits disease, eats 
unwholesome food, gives license to his passions, and permits 
worry and vexation to disturb his healthy equipoise ; he does 
not die, he kills himself. 

Life may be divided into two equal halves — growth and 
decline, and these into infancy, youth, virility and age. In- 
fancy extends to the twentieth year ; youth to the fiftieth, be- 
cause it is during this period that the tissue becomes firm; 
virility from fifty to seventy-five, during which the organism 
remains complete ; and at seventy-five old age commences, to 
last a long or short time, as the reduction of reserved forces 
is hastened or retarded. 



244 MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

How to Meet Adversity — Henry Ward Beecher. 

Men become indolent through the reverses of fortune. 
Surely despondency is a grievous thing, and a heavy load to 
bear. To see disaster and wreck in the present, and no light 
in the future, but only storms, lurid by the contrast of past 
prosperity, and growing darker as they advance; to wear a 
constant expectation of woe like a girdle ; to see want at the 
door, imperiously knocking, while there is no strength to 
repel, or courage to bear its tyranny, — indeed, this, this is 
dreadful enough. But there is a thing more dreadful. It is 
more dreadful if the man is wrecked with his fortune. 

Can anything be more poignant in anticipation, than one's 
own self, unnerved, cowed down, and slackened into utter 
pliancy, and helplessly drifting and driven down the troubled 
sea of life? Of all things on earth, next to his God, a broken 
man should cling to a courageous industry. If it brings 
nothing, it will save him. 

To be pressed down by adversity, has nothing in it of dis- 
grace; but it is disgraceful to lie down under it, like a sup- 
ple dog. Indeed, to stand composedly in the storm, amidst 
its rage and wildest devastations ; to let it beat over you, and 
roar around you, and pass by you, and leave you undismayed, 
— This Is To Be A Man. 

Adversity is the mint in which God stamps upon us his 
image and superscription. In this matter, men may learn of 
insects. The ant will repair his dwelling as often as the mis- 
chieveous foot crushes it; the spider will exhaust life itself 
before he will live without a web; the bee can be decoyed 
from his labor neither by plenty or scarcity. If summer be 
abundant, it toils none the less! if it be scarce of flowers, the 
tiny laborer sweeps a wider circle, and by industry repairs 
the frugality of the season. Man should be ashamed to be 
rebuked in vain by the spider, the ant, and the bee. 



CHAPTER XXXI. 



Infidelity Rebuked — Important Testimony in Favor of the 

Bible. 

Many years ago a notorious infidel, undertook to discuss 
and argue infidelity with Gen. Bonaparte, scoffing and re- 
jecting the infallible doctrines of Christianity. Napoleon 
gave him full sway in all his false theories and finally con- 
cluded that the skeptic had exhausted himself. Suddenly the 
great General arose from his chair, (apparently astonished 
at the ignorance and imbecility of his visitor) . * ' Now sir, ex- 
claimed Napoleon, who created all these things % " It has been 
related that the infidel was silenced, and had nothing more 
to say. 

"The book— this mighty book— on every line 
Marked with the seal of high divinity ; 
On every leaf bedewed with drops of love 
Divine, and with eternal heraldry 
And signature of God Almighty stamped 
From first to last." 

Rousseau claimed : If all were perfect Christians, indivil- 
uals would do their duty, the people would be obedient to 
the laws, the magistrates incorrupt, and there would be 
neither vanity nor luxury in such a state. There is, indeed, 
no doubt but that vanity is one of the principal causes of in- 
fidelity. Surely the infidel writer is a great enemy to society. 

"The invisible things of Him from the creation of the 
world, are clearly seen." Let us for a moment behold our 



246 MEMOIRS OF EDWARD A. STRAUB 

earth. With what a mighty scene are we here presented? 
The division of its surface into land and water, islands and 
lakes, springs and rivers, hills and valleys, mountains and 
plains, renders it to man indeed, charming and delightful. 
We are entertained with an agreeable variety, without being 
disgusted with a tedious uniformity. 

From the mountains descend streams to fertilize the plains 
below, and cover them with wealth and beauty. The earth 
not only produces everything necessary to support our 
bodies, but to remedy our disease and gratify our senses. 
Who covered the earth with such a pleasing variety of fruits 
and flowers? Who gave them their delightful fragrance, 
and painted them with such exquisite colors? Who causes 
the same water to whiten in the lily, that blushes in the rose? 

Do not these things indicate a cause, infinitely superior 
to any finite being? Do they not directly lead us to believe 
the existence of God, to admire his goodness, to revere his 
power, to adore his wisdom, in so happily accommodating 
our external circumstances to our situation and internal 
constitution ? 

This great Being is everywhere present. He exists all 
around us. He is not, as we are ant to imagine, at a great 
distance. Wherever we turn, his image meets our view. We 
see him in the earth, in the ocean, in the air, in the sun, 
moon, and stars. We feel him in ourselves. He is always 
working around us; he performs the greatest operations, 
produces the noblest effects, and discovers himself in a thou- 
sand different ways. 

Infidels and skeptics have accomplished nothing in the 
history of the world. All the hospitals, the charitable insti- 
tutions, and, the things which have made life better for the 
rest of the world have come through the man who believed 
in his Maker.— Rev. M. M. Mangasarian, Independent, Chi- 
cago, Illinois. 



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